Cristiano Ronaldo: England captain Harry Kane vows to challenge World Cup rival

Posted Monday, June 18, 2018 by Express.co.uk

Cristiano Ronaldo: England captain Harry Kane vows to challenge World Cup rival
Cristiano Ronaldo: Harry Kane is hoping to start his World Cup campaign with a hat-trick

HARRY KANE believes he can have an 18 carat last laugh on jokers who suggested that the samovar presented to him by locals on England’s first day in Russia was the only trophy he was likely to lift.

“Obviously, I see a few of the jokes going round on social media - it is what it is,” the England captain said.

“I’ve got a lot of trophies for scoring in my career but I’d like to be sitting here with that big gold trophy in a few weeks’ time.”

The World Cup, 6kg and 37cm tall, would be enough of a comeback for anybody, you would think – but Kane has not given up hope of winning the Golden Boot for the top scorer as well.

Cristiano Ronaldo rather upped the ante with a hat-trick against Spain in Portugal’s opening game, but Kane remains undeterred.

“For sure, he’s put me under a bit of pressure,” Kane said.

“He’s a fantastic player who had a fantastic game, but it’s about concentrating on the team.

“Hopefully I will score a hat-trick against Tunisia and we’ll be level. But it’s not something I’ll be thinking about until later in the tournament.”

For now, his focus is very much on delivering a performance in Volgograd tonight – not least for the fans back at home.

“We can’t wait to get started and obviously, with all the fans back home watching, we want to make them proud. We want to fight for them, win for them and that’s what we play football for.

“I am really excited to get going now. The lads and I will be watching the games today, waiting to get started.”

Kane has never failed to score in all the five games he has worn the captain’s armband and he intends to lead by example yet again.

Certainly he has no specific words of rhetoric prepared for his men in the dressing room before England run out in front of 45,000 fans to get their campaign underway.

“I will tell them just to play… play well,” he said. “Everyone I’m sure will have some words to say. For me it’s just about concentrating on your job.

“Every player does their job to the best of their ability I’m sure we’ll do pretty well. It’s about staying focused. For me and the other players recognising if things aren’t going well, can you pick players up, help them along.

“There’re going to be times against Tunisia and in all the games where there will be highs and lows. It’s all about controlling that and managing that and making sure we have the best outcome possible.”