EDITOR’S LETTER

The first time I discussed putting Harry Kane on the front cover of

Fourfourtwo was in January 2015. He was midway through his first full season as a regular starter for Spurs and had scored six goals during the Christmas period, including a brace against Chelsea. The North London derby was around the corner and maybe, just maybe, it was the right time for his first big interview? In the end, I was outvoted: the general consensus was that it was a bit too soon. After all, we’d just interviewed Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the cover and were negotiating with Neymar for a Copa America special.

Oh how things have changed. In just three short years, Harry Kane has gone from the fringes of the Tottenham first team to England’s one true world-class player, who will travel to Russia this summer just behind Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar in the betting odds for the World Cup Golden Boot. Not that England’s No.9 is fazed by the challenge ahead: he wants to compete with the very best and, crucially, make watching England fun again. If he can do that, it will have meant they have had a successful World Cup. What success looks like right now is unclear, but that shouldn’t stop us from enjoying what is sure to be another fascinating festival of football. The World Cup’s almost here… we can’t wait.