Starting a job in a foreign city where you don’t speak the language and without family support is daunting. When you’re the expensive spearhead of Bayern Munich and expected to satisfy 80,000 expectant fans, who have little tolerance for wobbles, it’s a tough gig.
Good thing, then, that Harry Kane is a bankable asset when it comes to the business of scoring goals. “It's obviously been a good start to the season,” he says, with a galactico level of understatement, given that he is breaking records on almost a weekly basis.
Indeed, Kane has already netted 22 times in just 18 games since his move to the Bundesliga giants, which includes three hat-tricks and a wonder goal scored from his own half. Not so shabby.
Of course, many footballers move right across the globe at a young age and Kane, 30, has plenty of life experience to draw upon while rebuilding his life in Germany. And he seems more than ready for the challenge. “New team, new leaf – I'm just excited to be here,” he says with heartfelt enthusiasm.
And yet given he has four young children, including baby Henry, born in August, it’s not simple. When we speak, over a video call, Kane has been living in a hotel for months and still seems relaxed about the situation. “I’m enjoying the new environment,” he insists, “it’s fun just to experience different cultures.” And, yes, that includes the famous photo of him sporting lederhosen to promote a German beer sponsor. “It’s a pretty cool tradition but the shorts were heavier than I thought,” he deadpans.
Family is clearly on his mind, though, and so I ask him whether little Henry is thriving back in Blighty. “Yeah, he's doing well … he's getting big really quick,” he says, before saying that he is eager to move the whole family out from London.
And it looks as if they could all be together under one roof for Christmas. The German tabloid, Bild, reports that Kane has finally found a home in Munich into which the family will soon move.
Kane plainly has deep roots in the capital, though, 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 swiftly expands. “Just that homely feeling. Familiar surroundings … a local dog walk – or a restaurant.”
We are soon talking, ruefully, about his favourite London golf courses and idyllic dog-walking routes as if he’d never left. “When I was more in Essex way or east London, it was Epping Forest. Since I moved to Hampstead, I take them over [to] the Heath and they enjoy it there.”
Kane has two dogs, Brady and Wilson, which he plainly dotes on. “One of them was 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 are the captain of The Three Lions, even your dogs are easily misunderstood.
Surely he hankers for something more substantive from the old city than a pleasant walk. “A nice spot in London I used to go to quite a lot is a restaurant called Beast. It’s a steak restaurant – and they do some good crab in there.” This is, indeed, a less humble choice, as Beast in Chapel Place is widely regarded as one of the finest surf-and-turf eateries in London.
As a loosener, we discuss what other sports Kane might have excelled at aside from football. “Good question. I do love American sports,” he muses, before adding: “Maybe I'd have ventured out to America and tried a bit in the NFL.”
Now Kane has talked previously about playing in the NFL and I’d assumed this was a joke. Turns out he’s deadly serious here. “I don't think it's having a laugh. I think it’s more just exploring that option.”
When I ask, why he thinks such an extreme change of pace will work, Kane gives me a sales pitch, as if I am an NFL scout. “I just think I’ve been able to kick in those situations – a lot of pressure situations.” He pauses for thought, as if convincing me could make this a reality: “I know it'd be a lot of hard work and it'd be a lot of dedication. It won't be as easy just rocking up and doing it.”
So will his fantastical gridiron move happen? “Yeah, let's see”, Kane enthuses enigmatically, “I've always said it depends on certain situations and circumstances,” he says, plainly warming to the idea, without ever saying what these circumstances might be. Fear not, though, Bayern (and England) fans because he does, eventually, clarify: “I’ve still got plenty of years left in my football career. And relax.
Given he’s in such a reflective mood, we explore what the future could look like once Harry hangs up his boots for the final time. “I don't want to sort of finish football and then have nothing to do,” he admits, casually bringing the convo around to Our Pure Planet, the new sustainable electronics brand, of which he’s now a co-owner and brand ambassador.
Kane talks animatedly about why he’s keen to be involved in this particular business – and why it’s not a straight promotional deal. This involves a spoonful of personal growth but it’s largely about shared values. “So when I'm talking about it, when I'm wearing it, we are all in it together,” he says earnestly.
Turns out that there are two main reasons here. The first is the environmental credentials of this brand, which employs almost entirely recycled plastics and also claims to have no carbon impact. This idea has plainly made a big impression on Kane.
“With Our Pure Planet, we're talking about being more green. I'm no expert on the subject but I think any little differences that we can make – and me being with this company can make – goes a long way.” Who can argue with that?
The less-expected dimension is that this brand is comparatively affordable. For instance, the Platinum Bluetooth Headphones supplied for this interview – hey, I am the technology editor – costs less than a hundred pounds and yet boast active noise-cancelling (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 an important thing.” This is fairly astonishing to hear from any professional athlete, let alone a football player, so 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 follow up by asking what Kane makes of Fifa’s utterly bonkers (my words, not his) plan to host the 2030 World Cup across three continents and make the fans travel outlandish miles to support their teams. Exercising diplomacy, he refuses to be drawn. However, Gareth Southgate, the England manager, reportedly declared himself “not a fan” while talking to the media before the team’s recent matches in October.
One trait that successful business people and sporting stars share is the ability to overcome adversity.
His Harry Kane Foundation helps young people improve their mental health so I request his best tip for building resilience.
“I've learnt a lot about my work ethic and my mentality, knowing that I can go through tough moments and come out the other side. If something doesn't go well, I remind myself that the odds are now in my favour. The chances of another setback are lower than missing an opportunity.”
This is a fine insight, even if the maths feels a little iffy – and yet Kane has plenty more to say about his personal blueprint for excellence. I want to understand how the experiences from all his years as an elite competitor can help us mortals outside the sporting cauldron. What gold has Harry gleaned?
“Instead of sulking, blaming others, or moaning, I take ownership of my actions and choices, I take responsibility myself. This has been a big thing that I've learnt throughout my career – to own every moment, whether it's good or bad.” And in fact nobody ever has accused him of ducking responsibility.
To warm-down, we chat about the music he’s into – and what tunes he’d unleash within the inner sanctum of the team dressing-room, if allowed to play DJ. After all, everyone aspires to do this once.
At this, Kane perks up, clearly enjoying himself now that we’re onto the fun stuff. “I don't choose the music for the dressing room. I'll leave that to some of the other boys”, he chuckles. Even so, it only takes a gentle prod for Harry to offer us a glimpse into his personal soundscape. “I'm into my country music at the minute,” he says, leaning forward conspiratorially, “… a bit of Luke Combs recently.”
Not being a country music fan – nor having heard of Luke Combs, the multi-platinum selling artist – I ask if Kane has ever tried line-dancing as, frankly, it’s the only cultural reference I can think of in the genre. “I’ve not been doing any line-dancing, no,” he states, serenely, as if this is the most sensible question of the whole interview.
“Playing a bit of country before [a match] on a gameday in the changing room, wouldn’t go down too well with some of the lads,” he concludes. So if that was Harry’s musical masterplan, he’ll definitely need headphones.
Harry Kane is an owner and brand ambassador of Our Pure Planet www.ourpureplanet.com
