Harry Kane Inspired by Messi and Haaland After England's World Cup Win
England captain Harry Kane has revealed that he draws inspiration from the performances of Argentina's Lionel Messi and Norway's Erling Haaland at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Kane made the admission after scoring twice in England's 4-2 victory over Croatia in their Group L opener in Dallas on Thursday.
Messi secured his first-ever World Cup hat-trick against Algeria, while Haaland scored a brace on his debut at the tournament. Speaking to Reuters, Kane said, "Obviously, I saw the guys scoring their goals, and I do not like to concentrate too much on other people. But I think it is natural - as a sportsman, as an athlete - to try and reach the highest levels and obviously all those guys started in a great way."
Kane also highlighted the hunger and excitement within the England squad, stating, "You can see the hunger, the desire and excitement from the players to be part of what could be a special summer." He added, "There's real competition for places, but no negativity, just a shared focus on performing when called upon."
In the match against Croatia, Kane earned his 115th international cap, equaling England legend David Beckham. Kane revealed that Beckham sent him a voice note congratulating him on the milestone. "David sent me a nice voice note before the game and after the game," said Kane. "He just congratulated me on getting to 115. He said he knows how hard it is to be that consistent and to reach that many caps."
England will continue their World Cup campaign with a Group L clash against Boston on Tuesday, aiming to secure a spot in the round of 32.
