by Starting to work in a foreign city where the language is not spoken and without family support is discouraging. When you are Bayern Munich’s expensive spearhead and expected to satisfy 80,000 expectant fans, who have little tolerance for wobbles, it’s a tough job.
It’s a good thing, then, that Harry Kane is a profitable asset when it comes to the goal-scoring business. “It’s obviously been a good start to the season,” he says, with a galactic level of understatement, given that he’s breaking records almost weekly.
In fact, Kane has already scored 22 goals in just 18 games since moving to the Bundesliga giants, including three hat-tricks and a wonder goal scored from his own half. Not that bad.
Of course, many footballers move around the world at a young age and Kane, 30, has plenty of life experience to draw on as he rebuilds his life in Germany. And he seems more than up to the challenge. “New team, new leaf: I’m excited to be here,” he says with sincere enthusiasm.
And yet, given that she has four young children, including baby Henry, born in August, it’s not easy. When we speak, via video call, Kane has been living in a hotel for months and still seems calm about the situation. “I’m enjoying the new environment,” he insists, “it’s fun to experience different cultures.” And yes, that includes the famous photo of him wearing leather pants to promote a German beer sponsor. “It’s a nice tradition, but the shorts were heavier than he thought,” he deadpans.
However, he clearly has family on his mind, so I ask him if little Henry is thriving in Blighty. “Yes, he’s doing well… he’s growing up very fast,” he says, before saying that he’s looking forward to moving the whole family out of London.
And it looks like they could all be together under the same roof for Christmas. German tabloid Bild reports that Kane has finally found a house in Munich that the family will soon move into.
However, Kane clearly has deep roots in the capital, and it doesn’t take much digging to establish what he misses about his old life in the big smoke. He starts with the inevitable friends and family, but expands quickly. “Just that homey feeling. A family-friendly environment…a local dog walk or restaurant.”
Soon we were talking, sadly, about his favorite golf courses in London and his idyllic dog-walking routes, as if he had never left. “When I was more in Essex or east London, it was Epping Forest. Since I moved to Hampstead, I’ve been taking care of them. [to] Heath and they enjoy it there.”
Kane has two dogs, Brady and Wilson, who he clearly adores. “One of them is named after Tom Brady,” he explains, before adding: “My wife actually named the other one Wilson. People just assumed it was for Russell Wilson [the NFL star]. But it was just a coincidence.” When you’re the captain of The Three Lions, even your dogs are easily misunderstood.
Surely you long for something more substantial from the old city than a pleasant walk. “A good place in London that I used to go to frequently is a restaurant called Beast. “It’s a meat restaurant and they prepare good crab there.” In fact, this is a less humble choice, as Beast in Chapel Place is widely regarded as one of London’s best surf and turf restaurants.
For relaxation, we look at what other sports Kane might have excelled at besides football. “Good question. I love American sports,” he reflects, before adding: “Maybe I would have ventured to the United States and tried a little in the NFL.”
Now Kane has talked before about playing in the NFL and I assumed it was a joke. Turns out he’s very serious here. “I don’t think it’s laughing. I think it’s more about exploring that option.”
When I ask him why he thinks such an extreme change of pace will work, Kane gives me a sales pitch, like he’s an NFL scout. “I just think I’ve been able to kick in those situations, a lot of pressure situations.” He pauses to think, as if convincing me could make this happen: “I know it would take a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication. “It won’t be as easy to just get up and do it.”
So, will his fantastic move on the playing field happen? “Yeah, let’s see,” Kane enigmatically enthuses, “I’ve always said it depends on certain situations and circumstances,” he says, clearly excited by the idea, never saying what those circumstances might be. But fear not, Bayern (and England) fans, because he finally clarifies: “I still have many years of football career left. And relax.
Since he’s in such a reflective mood, we explore what the future might be like once Harry hangs up his boots for the last time. “I don’t want to finish football and then have nothing to do,” he admits, casually bringing the conversation to Our Pure Planet, the new sustainable electronics brand, of which he is now co-owner and brand ambassador.
Kane talks animatedly about why he’s interested in getting into this particular business and why it’s not a direct promotional deal. This involves a dollop of personal growth, but it’s largely about shared values. “So when I talk about it, when I use it, we’re all in it together,” he says seriously.
It turns out there are two main reasons here. The first is the environmental credentials of this brand, which uses almost entirely recycled plastics and also claims to have no carbon impact. This idea has clearly made a big impression on Kane.
“With Our Pure Planet, we are talking about being greener. I am not an expert on the subject, but I think that any small difference we can make (and that I am in this company can make) is a big help.” Who can argue with that?
The least expected dimension is that this brand is comparatively affordable. For example, the Platinum Bluetooth headphones supplied for this interview (hey, I’m the technology editor) cost less than a hundred pounds and yet feature active noise cancellation (ANC). These aren’t the flashiest headphones I’ve tried, but they perform well and represent solid value for money. I ask if it was a deliberate choice.
“I’m just a normal guy,” he explains, adding, “I think [headphones] Being affordable is a big thing.” It’s pretty surprising to hear this from any professional athlete, let alone a football player, which is why Kane seems more socially aware than most. “Not everyone can afford the big luxury brands,” he says.
Given his views on environmental and cost-of-living issues, I ask Kane what he thinks of FIFA’s totally crazy (my words, not his) plan to host the 2030 World Cup on three continents and have fans They travel extravagant miles to support their teams. Using diplomacy, he refuses to be dragged along. However, Gareth Southgate, the England manager, reportedly stated that he is “not a fan” while speaking to the media before the team’s recent matches in October.
One trait that successful entrepreneurs and sports stars share is the ability to overcome adversity.
His Harry Kane Foundation helps young people improve their mental health, so I’m asking for his best advice on building resilience.
“I’ve learned a lot about my work ethic and my mindset, knowing that I can go through tough times and get through it. If something doesn’t go right, I remind myself that the odds are now in my favor. The chances of suffering another setback are lower than missing an opportunity.”
This is a great idea, even if the math seems a little iffy, and yet Kane has a lot more to say about his personal plan for excellence. I want to understand how his experiences from all his years as an elite competitor can help us mortals outside of the sporting arena. What gold has Harry collected?
“Instead of getting angry, blaming others or complaining, I take charge of my actions and choices, I take responsibility for myself. This has been something very important that I have learned throughout my career: owning every moment, whether good or bad.” And, in fact, no one has ever accused him of shirking responsibility.
To warm up, we chatted about the music he likes and what tunes he’d unleash in the inner sanctum of the team’s locker room, if he were allowed to DJ. After all, everyone aspires to do this sometime.
At this, Kane perks up, clearly having fun now that we’re getting to the fun stuff. “I don’t choose the music for the dressing room. I’ll leave that to some of the other guys,” he laughs. Still, it only takes a gentle nudge for Harry to offer us a glimpse into his personal soundscape. “Right now I’m into my country music,” he says, leaning forward conspiratorially, “…a little bit of Luke Combs recently.”
Not being a country music fan (nor having heard of Luke Combs, the multi-platinum artist), I ask if Kane has ever tried line dancing because, frankly, it’s the only cultural reference I can think of in the world. gender. “I haven’t been line dancing, no,” he states calmly, as if this were the most sensible question of the entire interview.
“Play some country before [a match] On a game day in the locker room, some guys wouldn’t like him very well,” he concludes. So if that was Harry’s musical master plan, he’ll definitely need headphones.
Harry Kane is owner and brand ambassador of Our Pure Planet www.ourpureplanet.com
