England captain Harry Kane has said that hearing thousands of fans singing 'Wonderwall' by the famous rock band Oasis, following his side's 4-2 victory over Croatia at the FIFA World Cup this week, was one of the best moments of his footballing career.
Kane said: "That was one of the best moments I have ever experienced wearing the England shirt, especially in a major tournament." He added: "I know it's only the first game and we won't get carried away, but that emotional connection with the fans — we know how much it means to them." England manager Thomas Tuchel has repeatedly stressed the importance of building strong bonds within the squad.
Kane, 32, confirmed that squad members — all of whom grew up as passionate fans of the game — are determined to deliver more memorable moments at the World Cup. He said: "I think they understand how much that means to us. We have a strong bond with them, but that moment, when they sang 'Wonderwall' in the stadium and everyone knew the words, was truly special." He added: "We know the atmosphere back home was the same, given that the match is played in the evening, so we love these things."
Speaking about this year's squad, Kane said: "You can see the hunger, desire and enthusiasm from the players to be part of what could be an exceptional summer. There is real competition for places in the starting line-up, but without any negative feelings — there is a shared focus on delivering the best performance whenever any player is called upon." Kane matched the record of his childhood idol David Beckham last Wednesday by making his 115th international appearance for England.
Kane said: "David sent me a nice voice message before and after the match, congratulating me on equalling the record of 115 caps," noting that he appreciates how difficult it is to maintain that level of consistency and reach such a large number of international appearances. Kane's two goals against Croatia also drew him level with Gary Lineker in terms of World Cup goals scored for England, with both players now on 10 goals each.