Our Golden boy, says Euro 96 star Shearer

of these players. I hope they can realise it, I hope they can enjoy it, and I hope they can realise that.’

“Because I can only speak from my personal experience. I went into Euro 96 as Alan Shearer, Premier League winner with Blackburn Rovers. I came out of Euro 96 as Alan Shearer, Premier League winner and Golden Boot winner in the European Championships.

“Now with Harry, everyone knows Harry in Europe. He has had the chance [against Tunisia] and has now put his name forward on the global stage.

“Every day and every night he has been thinking, ‘If I get off to a good start, I’ve got a chance of winning the Golden Boot’ – because that’s the way a forward thinks.

“It [changed my life] because you’re no longer just ‘Alan Shearer’. I was ‘Alan Shearer Golden Boot winner’, having played against some world-class players at Euro 96, like [Jurgen] Klinsmann. You’re up against some big hitters, and Holland were in the tournament as well.

“That’s the difference; for you as a person, and for you in terms of your confidence and belief to take with you for the rest of your life, for the rest of your career, is something huge.”

Kane will have at least two further opportunities to add to his current five-goal haul, given that England play Belgium in their final Group G match on Thursday evening, having already guaranteed progress to the last 16.