Wembley Stadium, 7 July 2021, a crisis brewing. Denmark are 1-0 up against England in a Euro 2020 semi‑final, Mikkel Damsgaard’s free-kick catching Jordan Pickford out, and the hosts are beginning to panic.
And so Harry Kane drops deep. All tournament long, people have questioned why he drops deep. Why isn’t England’s No 9 in the box? Why is he so far from goal? Is it ego that makes him think he’s a No 10? Well, here’s the answer. Receiving the ball midway inside Denmark’s half, Kane controls with his left foot and then, with no backlift, plays a defence‑splitting pass with his right. Away goes Bukayo Saka, streaking clear on the right, and when the winger’s low cross ends up being turned into the goal by Denmark’s Simon Kjær, England are back on the victory path.
