Harry Kane: Tottenham ace on aim to break Alan Shearer record and street football with Jermain Defoe

Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane has become the latest footballer to take a look back at key moments of his career in BT Sport’s What I Wore series.

The Three Lions captain reminisced about some of the highs and lows of his football journey so far, while also recalling his incredible first meeting with former Spurs colleague Jermain Defoe.

Kane, 28, joined the north London club’s academy at the age of 11 and was still developing as a young player when he first crossed paths with future team-mate Defoe in his hometown of Chingford four years later. 

Tottenham’s Harry Kane is the latest football star to take part in BT Sport’s What I wore series

Kane took a look back on shirts which reminded him of highs and lows of his career so far

Kane took a look back on shirts which reminded him of highs and lows of his career so far

He first recalled an incredible first meeting with Jermaine Defoe at the age of just 15

He first recalled an incredible first meeting with Jermaine Defoe at the age of just 15 

When presented with his idol’s old Spurs shirt, he said: ‘Defoe is one of my favourite strikers. I was fortunate enough to play with him as well.

‘But yeah, the story was I was just in the street where I lived in Chingford, just playing football with about 15 of my mates, how you do in the street, then a black Range Rover pulled up and Jermaine Defoe got out. It was crazy.

‘I was in the academy at the time obviously, I was only about 11 years old, and he just got out and started playing with us for about 20 minutes, then he signed a load of stuff, we were taking our trainers off and getting them signed and things like that.

‘But it was just amazing. It’s a story I’ll always remember and I remember talking to him about it, he remembered it and it was great for him to do that.

‘Hopefully one day I’ll be able to do the same!’ 

Defoe, who Kane went on to play with and against, joined in a street kick-about with his mates

Defoe, who Kane went on to play with and against, joined in a street kick-about with his mates

Kane admitted the early encounter with one of his footballing idols was 'crazy' at the time

Kane admitted the early encounter with one of his footballing idols was ‘crazy’ at the time

Before breaking into Spurs’ senior squad, Kane spent 2010-13 out on loan with Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich and Leicester.

He became an important member of both Orient and Millwall’s squads, racking up a combined 45 appearances for the two clubs and scoring 14 goals. Yet, his time at Norwich and Leicester did not prove as successful, producing a return of just two goals in 20 outings.

Kane admits it was the most challenging period of his career to date when taking a look back at the shirts he donned for both teams. 

‘The Norwich and Leicester ones for sure were probably the toughest times I had in my career,’ he said.

‘Obviously I had two great loan spells at Leyton Orient and Millwall, done really well, then I went to Norwich and couldn’t quite get in the team. I got injured, so I came back and went to Leicester, and I found myself on the bench a lot, played a few games and didn’t quite do it.

He then took a look back at some of his loan spells before becoming a key player for Spurs

He then took a look back at some of his loan spells before becoming a key player for Spurs

Kane described his stints with Norwich and Leicester as the most difficult of his career

Kane described his stints with Norwich and Leicester as the most difficult of his career 

The 28-old admits he had doubts about his Spurs career after struggling with both clubs

The 28-old admits he had doubts about his Spurs career after struggling with both clubs

‘It was probably the time where I thought to myself, “if I’m not playing for Leicester, in the Championship at the time, how can I play for Tottenham?”

‘But I stuck together, I had good friends and family around me that believed in me and I’ve always had huge self-belief. I just said I’m gonna do everything I can to go back the next season with Spurs and give everything I’ve got. 

‘Fortunately I got my opportunity and was able to take it. But yeah, great learning curve even though it didn’t go as well as I wanted and it was an important part of my story to be where I am now.’ 

Despite failing to perform for Leicester, Kane got his big break at Spurs the following year and, having scored his first four goals for the club that season, he then came on leaps and bounds in the 2014/15 campaign.

The future England skipper emerged as one of the best centre-forwards in the Premier League by rifling home 31 goals in 51 appearances, with Spurs quickly realising they had a superstar No 9 on their hands.

But he has much happier memories of his early days with the north London club

But he has much happier memories of his early days with the north London club

Kane soon burst onto the scene to become one of Spurs' most important players in 2014

Kane soon burst onto the scene to become one of Spurs’ most important players in 2014

When the opportunity arose he decided to opt for the No 10 shirt instead of No 9

When the opportunity arose he decided to opt for the No 10 shirt instead of No 9

Though when the opportunity for a squad-number change presented itself, Kane opted for a different shirt.   

When asked why he instead chose to wear No 10, Kane revealed: ‘I feel like 10 for Spurs was just a bigger number,’ he said. ‘You had Robbie Keane, Glenn Hoddle, Teddy Sheringham – players like that.

‘So I just felt like I wanted to be No 10 playing for Tottenham and obviously No 9 for England I feel like is a bigger number for a striker. You’ve had some great No 9s (for England).’  

Kane has since flourished in the No 10 shirt for Spurs, registering another 203 goals in 269 appearances.

Kane said the No 10 shirt felt like a bigger deal at Spurs because of past legends that wore it

Kane said the No 10 shirt felt like a bigger deal at Spurs because of past legends that wore it

And he felt his first season wearing the number, when Mauricio Pochettino’s men narrowly missed out on the title in 2015/16, was one of his finest. 

While holding his shirt from that campaign aloft, Kane said: ‘This was the year we was going against Leicester for the league, obviously we fell short, but there were some nice goals in that one. I felt good.

‘That was my second season, I felt ready to go and take the league by storm after having the season I had before. I think that was my first kit in No 10 as well’.

After 264 Premier League appearances for Spurs, Kane has a staggering 173 goals to his name at the age of just 28. Frighteningly, he could only be entering his peak years now.

He also opened up on his desire to surpass Alan Shearer's Premier League goalscoring record

He also opened up on his desire to surpass Alan Shearer’s Premier League goalscoring record

The boy from Chingford needs another 88 top-flight goals between now and the end of his career to surpass Alan Shearer as the Premier League’s all-time record goalscorer, and he insists his sight is set on doing exactly that.  

‘I think it’s there to be done. Obviously it’s still 90 odd goals to get there, but it’s definitely an aim to try and reach it,’ he admitted.

‘Obviously I feel like I’ve still got many more years of my career to go and it will be incredible. Shearer was an incredible striker, incredible No 9. 

‘So even to be close now is great, but for sure it’s definitely something that I want to try and achieve.  

The latest episode of BT Sport’s ‘What I Wore’ series featuring Harry Kane is now available to watch on the BT Sport YouTube channel. For more info on BT Sport go to www.bt.com/sport

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