Interview

Kane: The art of scoring

Bayern München striker Harry Kane reveals the tireless work on the training ground and the fine-tuned judgements that make him one of world football’s most devastating centre-forwards

INTERVIEW Toni Tomic

England’s all-time leading scorer, Kane eventually left Tottenham in 2023 with a club-best 280 strikes under his belt, and his appetite has only increased since his switch to Bayern. His haul of 36 Bundesliga goals last season established a new record for a debut campaign, and he also finished as joint-top marksman in the Champions League, before setting his sights even higher this term.

So, how does he do it? Far from being coy about his methods, Kane opens up in the following pages about the keys to his success, from honing every aspect of his game to how to cope with different types of defenders. Behind all those goals lies a mountain of hard work – and a hunger to keep improving.

You’re widely regarded as one of the best centre-forwards in the world. What does being a “natural No9” mean to you, and how do you embrace that role on the pitch?

“Natural No9” is a broad term; most No9s are different in a lot of ways. I see myself as being a goalscorer, first and foremost. That’s one of the most, if not the most, important things about being a striker and an out-and-out No9. But I like to be involved in the game a lot more than maybe other No9s. I like to drop deep and link play. I like to hold the ball up when the team is under pressure. They’re all important factors in a game. A No9 is going to be judged on goals and how many they score, but it’s important when you’re not scoring goals that you still bring an impact to the team, both with and without the ball. A lot of work that we do in the high press starts with us, starts with me as the No9. So, it’s important that I try to do that well.

How do you read the game to find space and create opportunities for yourself and others?

It’s really important to have that awareness on the pitch. My “football brain” is probably one of my best attributes – and being able to find space, knowing where to be and where the ball is going to be, rather than just following it around the pitch. I try to use my movement to create space to allow me to get more chances or even create space for other players, understanding that you might be making a run not for yourself but for someone else to get the ball. Little things like that have a big impact on the game, which may go unnoticed in the moment, but people who understand football will know the work you do.

“I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me”

You are rare as a No9 in how you drop deep to link play. How did that come about and how do you balance that with being the primary scorer?

It developed from a young age. When I was a youth-team player, I played a lot in midfield – as a deep midfielder, a No8, a No10, and that helped me understand the position. It helped me be aware of my team-mates around me. As I got older, I became more of a No9 because I was good at scoring goals and making runs. It’s a huge part of my game. There’s a balance to it; you can’t always drop deep in certain games, especially when teams drop low, because you need to be in the goalscoring areas to help your team by scoring goals. But the game might open up, and you dropping deep creates space for other people, which also allows me to use my passing ability, which has developed over time as well. There may be a need to drop deep to help keep possession or help create space, and that’s what I have to decide in real time.

Is your goalscoring instinct something you’ve always had or has it come from hours of practice and refinement?

Both. I’ve always been able to score goals, even from a young age. Putting the ball in the back of the net was always something I was able to do. But then when I got to my early teenage years, I worked really hard on all different types of finishing because I understood that, in a game, you’re not going to get the perfect finish all the time. So, work on right foot, left foot, headers, free-kicks, penalties… anything. Any scenario can happen in a game, so you need to be prepared. I worked extremely hard on my finishing to become even better, especially with my left foot and headers. That allowed me to go into games full of confidence and be comfortable in those situations. Even natural goalscorers, goalscorers with the instinct to score goals, still have to work hard to be as good as possible.

How important is having the versatility to score with your head and both feet and how do you train to maintain that?

It’s really important. It separates the good strikers from the great strikers because players can score with their strong foot, but there comes a time when the opposition understands that and defenders can stop you or show you one side. So, if you’ve got as much variability as possible – being able to go left or right when you’re one-v-one, being a threat from headers – it just adds to your game and makes you even more difficult to stop. All I do is practise match-like situations, all different types of finishes, not just a perfect pass with a touch and a finish: one touch, two touch, headers, sometimes with a bouncing ball, with a ball on the floor, whatever it may be. It’s about trying to cover as many bases as possible so that you’re prepared for anything in the game.

Preparing for a match, do you study individual defenders and systems in detail, or do you focus more on playing your own game and trusting your instincts and game intelligence?

A bit of both. I don’t overanalyse the opposition. We’ll do quite a lot of analysis as a team: the threats they have, the weaknesses they have. So, when we’re in our meetings, of course I’m looking at the defenders and seeing what they do. Then, after that, I let my instincts take over. I don’t want to be thinking about the opposition too much. I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me. I like to have that instinctiveness on the pitch. Again, each game is different: you might prepare for a certain type of game and they might change their line-up just before the game. They might change their formation during the game. You have to be prepared for any scenario. In-game, it’s more important to be able to adapt and see where you can hurt the opposition, whether that’s dropping or staying high, or being in the box for crosses. You have to decide that in the moment, no matter how much analysis you do before the game.

England’s all-time leading scorer, Kane eventually left Tottenham in 2023 with a club-best 280 strikes under his belt, and his appetite has only increased since his switch to Bayern. His haul of 36 Bundesliga goals last season established a new record for a debut campaign, and he also finished as joint-top marksman in the Champions League, before setting his sights even higher this term.

So, how does he do it? Far from being coy about his methods, Kane opens up in the following pages about the keys to his success, from honing every aspect of his game to how to cope with different types of defenders. Behind all those goals lies a mountain of hard work – and a hunger to keep improving.

You’re widely regarded as one of the best centre-forwards in the world. What does being a “natural No9” mean to you, and how do you embrace that role on the pitch?

“Natural No9” is a broad term; most No9s are different in a lot of ways. I see myself as being a goalscorer, first and foremost. That’s one of the most, if not the most, important things about being a striker and an out-and-out No9. But I like to be involved in the game a lot more than maybe other No9s. I like to drop deep and link play. I like to hold the ball up when the team is under pressure. They’re all important factors in a game. A No9 is going to be judged on goals and how many they score, but it’s important when you’re not scoring goals that you still bring an impact to the team, both with and without the ball. A lot of work that we do in the high press starts with us, starts with me as the No9. So, it’s important that I try to do that well.

How do you read the game to find space and create opportunities for yourself and others?

It’s really important to have that awareness on the pitch. My “football brain” is probably one of my best attributes – and being able to find space, knowing where to be and where the ball is going to be, rather than just following it around the pitch. I try to use my movement to create space to allow me to get more chances or even create space for other players, understanding that you might be making a run not for yourself but for someone else to get the ball. Little things like that have a big impact on the game, which may go unnoticed in the moment, but people who understand football will know the work you do.

“I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me”

You are rare as a No9 in how you drop deep to link play. How did that come about and how do you balance that with being the primary scorer?

It developed from a young age. When I was a youth-team player, I played a lot in midfield – as a deep midfielder, a No8, a No10, and that helped me understand the position. It helped me be aware of my team-mates around me. As I got older, I became more of a No9 because I was good at scoring goals and making runs. It’s a huge part of my game. There’s a balance to it; you can’t always drop deep in certain games, especially when teams drop low, because you need to be in the goalscoring areas to help your team by scoring goals. But the game might open up, and you dropping deep creates space for other people, which also allows me to use my passing ability, which has developed over time as well. There may be a need to drop deep to help keep possession or help create space, and that’s what I have to decide in real time.

Is your goalscoring instinct something you’ve always had or has it come from hours of practice and refinement?

Both. I’ve always been able to score goals, even from a young age. Putting the ball in the back of the net was always something I was able to do. But then when I got to my early teenage years, I worked really hard on all different types of finishing because I understood that, in a game, you’re not going to get the perfect finish all the time. So, work on right foot, left foot, headers, free-kicks, penalties… anything. Any scenario can happen in a game, so you need to be prepared. I worked extremely hard on my finishing to become even better, especially with my left foot and headers. That allowed me to go into games full of confidence and be comfortable in those situations. Even natural goalscorers, goalscorers with the instinct to score goals, still have to work hard to be as good as possible.

How important is having the versatility to score with your head and both feet and how do you train to maintain that?

It’s really important. It separates the good strikers from the great strikers because players can score with their strong foot, but there comes a time when the opposition understands that and defenders can stop you or show you one side. So, if you’ve got as much variability as possible – being able to go left or right when you’re one-v-one, being a threat from headers – it just adds to your game and makes you even more difficult to stop. All I do is practise match-like situations, all different types of finishes, not just a perfect pass with a touch and a finish: one touch, two touch, headers, sometimes with a bouncing ball, with a ball on the floor, whatever it may be. It’s about trying to cover as many bases as possible so that you’re prepared for anything in the game.

Preparing for a match, do you study individual defenders and systems in detail, or do you focus more on playing your own game and trusting your instincts and game intelligence?

A bit of both. I don’t overanalyse the opposition. We’ll do quite a lot of analysis as a team: the threats they have, the weaknesses they have. So, when we’re in our meetings, of course I’m looking at the defenders and seeing what they do. Then, after that, I let my instincts take over. I don’t want to be thinking about the opposition too much. I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me. I like to have that instinctiveness on the pitch. Again, each game is different: you might prepare for a certain type of game and they might change their line-up just before the game. They might change their formation during the game. You have to be prepared for any scenario. In-game, it’s more important to be able to adapt and see where you can hurt the opposition, whether that’s dropping or staying high, or being in the box for crosses. You have to decide that in the moment, no matter how much analysis you do before the game.

Read the full story
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England’s all-time leading scorer, Kane eventually left Tottenham in 2023 with a club-best 280 strikes under his belt, and his appetite has only increased since his switch to Bayern. His haul of 36 Bundesliga goals last season established a new record for a debut campaign, and he also finished as joint-top marksman in the Champions League, before setting his sights even higher this term.

So, how does he do it? Far from being coy about his methods, Kane opens up in the following pages about the keys to his success, from honing every aspect of his game to how to cope with different types of defenders. Behind all those goals lies a mountain of hard work – and a hunger to keep improving.

You’re widely regarded as one of the best centre-forwards in the world. What does being a “natural No9” mean to you, and how do you embrace that role on the pitch?

“Natural No9” is a broad term; most No9s are different in a lot of ways. I see myself as being a goalscorer, first and foremost. That’s one of the most, if not the most, important things about being a striker and an out-and-out No9. But I like to be involved in the game a lot more than maybe other No9s. I like to drop deep and link play. I like to hold the ball up when the team is under pressure. They’re all important factors in a game. A No9 is going to be judged on goals and how many they score, but it’s important when you’re not scoring goals that you still bring an impact to the team, both with and without the ball. A lot of work that we do in the high press starts with us, starts with me as the No9. So, it’s important that I try to do that well.

How do you read the game to find space and create opportunities for yourself and others?

It’s really important to have that awareness on the pitch. My “football brain” is probably one of my best attributes – and being able to find space, knowing where to be and where the ball is going to be, rather than just following it around the pitch. I try to use my movement to create space to allow me to get more chances or even create space for other players, understanding that you might be making a run not for yourself but for someone else to get the ball. Little things like that have a big impact on the game, which may go unnoticed in the moment, but people who understand football will know the work you do.

“I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me”

You are rare as a No9 in how you drop deep to link play. How did that come about and how do you balance that with being the primary scorer?

It developed from a young age. When I was a youth-team player, I played a lot in midfield – as a deep midfielder, a No8, a No10, and that helped me understand the position. It helped me be aware of my team-mates around me. As I got older, I became more of a No9 because I was good at scoring goals and making runs. It’s a huge part of my game. There’s a balance to it; you can’t always drop deep in certain games, especially when teams drop low, because you need to be in the goalscoring areas to help your team by scoring goals. But the game might open up, and you dropping deep creates space for other people, which also allows me to use my passing ability, which has developed over time as well. There may be a need to drop deep to help keep possession or help create space, and that’s what I have to decide in real time.

Is your goalscoring instinct something you’ve always had or has it come from hours of practice and refinement?

Both. I’ve always been able to score goals, even from a young age. Putting the ball in the back of the net was always something I was able to do. But then when I got to my early teenage years, I worked really hard on all different types of finishing because I understood that, in a game, you’re not going to get the perfect finish all the time. So, work on right foot, left foot, headers, free-kicks, penalties… anything. Any scenario can happen in a game, so you need to be prepared. I worked extremely hard on my finishing to become even better, especially with my left foot and headers. That allowed me to go into games full of confidence and be comfortable in those situations. Even natural goalscorers, goalscorers with the instinct to score goals, still have to work hard to be as good as possible.

How important is having the versatility to score with your head and both feet and how do you train to maintain that?

It’s really important. It separates the good strikers from the great strikers because players can score with their strong foot, but there comes a time when the opposition understands that and defenders can stop you or show you one side. So, if you’ve got as much variability as possible – being able to go left or right when you’re one-v-one, being a threat from headers – it just adds to your game and makes you even more difficult to stop. All I do is practise match-like situations, all different types of finishes, not just a perfect pass with a touch and a finish: one touch, two touch, headers, sometimes with a bouncing ball, with a ball on the floor, whatever it may be. It’s about trying to cover as many bases as possible so that you’re prepared for anything in the game.

Preparing for a match, do you study individual defenders and systems in detail, or do you focus more on playing your own game and trusting your instincts and game intelligence?

A bit of both. I don’t overanalyse the opposition. We’ll do quite a lot of analysis as a team: the threats they have, the weaknesses they have. So, when we’re in our meetings, of course I’m looking at the defenders and seeing what they do. Then, after that, I let my instincts take over. I don’t want to be thinking about the opposition too much. I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me. I like to have that instinctiveness on the pitch. Again, each game is different: you might prepare for a certain type of game and they might change their line-up just before the game. They might change their formation during the game. You have to be prepared for any scenario. In-game, it’s more important to be able to adapt and see where you can hurt the opposition, whether that’s dropping or staying high, or being in the box for crosses. You have to decide that in the moment, no matter how much analysis you do before the game.

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Issue 22
Get your copy for interviews with William Saliba, Raphinha, Harry Kane and more...
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“I’ve always been able to score goals,” says Harry Kane, and few would argue with that. The prolific Bayern striker has been terrorising goalkeepers since his first senior start, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur at third-tier Leyton Orient in 2011. From those humble beginnings, the 31-year-old has developed into the consummate modern centre-forward, setting record upon record along the way.
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Do you adapt your game plan depending on the type of defender you are facing?

I think so. For example, if you’re playing against a really fast centre-back, it’s unlikely that you’re going to run in behind and beat them in behind. So, maybe the game will be more to feet and more trying to play around him, playing in front of him rather than behind. It’s the same with strong, tough centre-backs. You don’t want to get into too many aerial duels and physical duels, so you might try to make counter-movements, make different movements so you’re not always getting into a physical battle. It varies depending on the opposition. I’m not lightning fast, but I’m fast enough to hurt people, and I’m not overly strong, but I’m strong enough to hold my own. So, it’s a good balance.

How do you approach a game when facing a low block of defenders or defenders who double-team you?

It’s tough and it’s something you have to get used to. Even this season, we’ve played against a lot of low blocks and they’re hard to break down and you have to be really patient, especially because you’re probably not going to get as many touches. I like to be on the ball as much as possible, but when you’re playing against a low block, there are times when you have to just be in the box, be in the right positions to let the other players find you and cross the ball. In those moments, it’s just about winning your duels. A lot of the time, I’ll be man-marked in the box, but that doesn’t mean you can’t escape your marker with good movements or good strength. It’s about finding a way. Not every game is going to be the same, so there might be moments when the ball finds you in a good position and you score, and there might be other times when you have to be really patient and you might not touch the ball a lot, but be ready for the chance when it comes and just try to take it.

What’s your process for preparing to take penalties, and how do you deal with the pressure in those moments?

No matter what anyone says, taking a penalty is nerve-racking and you feel those nerves. I try to take the pressure away by preparing well. So, once I have that ball on the spot, I’m not thinking about anything else other than my preparation. That takes away all the negative thoughts or all the thoughts of getting ahead of yourself. I just focus on putting the ball down, my steps, my routine, and then, before you know it, it’s just about execution. Of course, throughout my career, there have been times I haven’t executed it well and I’ve missed penalties and you have to accept that. That’s not a perfect solution, but if I did the preparation I want and trained the way I want, I know I’ll score more than I’ll miss, and that gives me confidence every time I take one.

You’ve risen from loan spells in the lower leagues to being one of the best strikers in the world. How did those early experiences shape you as a player and prepare you for the top level?

It was really important for me as a young 17-year-old going out on loan. At 17, 18 and 19, I was at different clubs, at different standards: League One, Championship and Premier League. It’s all about the experience of playing football, the highs and lows. It helped shape me as a player, and it helped give me the experience I needed in men’s football. It helped me grow up and understand how important and how professional you have to be to be a footballer. I recommend to any young players who haven’t had much game time to go out [on loan] and try to play as much as possible, no matter what league it is. Just getting in that routine of playing games and coming up against tough defences will definitely help you develop as a player.

“No matter what anyone says, taking a penalty is nerve-racking and you feel those nerves. I try to take the pressure away by preparing well”

Football is mentally demanding. How do you stay focused and motivated, especially after setbacks like injuries or tough defeats?

It’s hard. You play a lot of games throughout the years, and you don’t have much time off to kind of process anything. It becomes like a roundabout, just going round and round. So, there are going to be highs and there are going to be lows. You have to accept that there are going to be times when you don’t feel as good mentally as other times, but it’s just about trying to remember all the hard work you’ve done to get here. It’s a dream to be playing football for a living and playing in front of thousands of fans every week. It’s a tough environment when things are going not so well, when you’re losing games, but that’s when the real kinds of characters and leaders stand up and show their true colours. It’s important not to change who you are, not to get too high or too low. Just stay focused on what you can do and try to improve and help the team.

Are there areas of your game that you feel you still want to improve?

Yeah, there will always be areas to improve. I’ll always work to improve, whether that’s physically from a recovery point of view with the amount of games we play now. To be able to play game after game is really important, so I’m always working on different recovery solutions to make sure the body’s in the best shape possible. Then, always on the pitch, there’s game understanding. With different coaches and different managers, you start to understand different things about how they want to play, how they see it. I try to take pieces from each coach I play with. Then, just the basics: I still work on my finishing, I still work on my penalties, I still work on my passing… All the things that I’m already really good at. I still try to make sure they don’t drop levels and that they benefit and get better.

As a leader, how do you approach high-pressure games? How do you inspire confidence in your team-mates?

I’ve always tried to lead by example. So, that might be in the preparation before the big games, in training, making sure that my standards are high and I’m setting the bar higher for everyone else to follow. I like to motivate my players and try to encourage them to feel free and feel themselves, no matter what the game, what the situation, to go out there and express themselves. That’s all you can do. Ultimately, it’s the same as every other game, but it’s just a bigger consequence at the end. So, you have to not let the feelings get carried away, but also use a lot of the nerves and excitement to your advantage as well, and take that out on the pitch and use that energy to have a fire in your belly.

What’s your personal philosophy on how the game should be played?

I’m not too sure. The beauty of football is that there are so many different ways it can be played. The way we play is the way I like to play – dominate the ball, press high and make it really difficult for the other teams, and counter-press. But I’ve been with some coaches who’ve had different ideas and I still really enjoyed it under them. It’s hard to say, but the way we’ve played this season with the high press and the ball control has been really enjoyable.

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22
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Interview

Kane: The art of scoring

Bayern München striker Harry Kane reveals the tireless work on the training ground and the fine-tuned judgements that make him one of world football’s most devastating centre-forwards

INTERVIEW Toni Tomic

England’s all-time leading scorer, Kane eventually left Tottenham in 2023 with a club-best 280 strikes under his belt, and his appetite has only increased since his switch to Bayern. His haul of 36 Bundesliga goals last season established a new record for a debut campaign, and he also finished as joint-top marksman in the Champions League, before setting his sights even higher this term.

So, how does he do it? Far from being coy about his methods, Kane opens up in the following pages about the keys to his success, from honing every aspect of his game to how to cope with different types of defenders. Behind all those goals lies a mountain of hard work – and a hunger to keep improving.

You’re widely regarded as one of the best centre-forwards in the world. What does being a “natural No9” mean to you, and how do you embrace that role on the pitch?

“Natural No9” is a broad term; most No9s are different in a lot of ways. I see myself as being a goalscorer, first and foremost. That’s one of the most, if not the most, important things about being a striker and an out-and-out No9. But I like to be involved in the game a lot more than maybe other No9s. I like to drop deep and link play. I like to hold the ball up when the team is under pressure. They’re all important factors in a game. A No9 is going to be judged on goals and how many they score, but it’s important when you’re not scoring goals that you still bring an impact to the team, both with and without the ball. A lot of work that we do in the high press starts with us, starts with me as the No9. So, it’s important that I try to do that well.

How do you read the game to find space and create opportunities for yourself and others?

It’s really important to have that awareness on the pitch. My “football brain” is probably one of my best attributes – and being able to find space, knowing where to be and where the ball is going to be, rather than just following it around the pitch. I try to use my movement to create space to allow me to get more chances or even create space for other players, understanding that you might be making a run not for yourself but for someone else to get the ball. Little things like that have a big impact on the game, which may go unnoticed in the moment, but people who understand football will know the work you do.

“I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me”

You are rare as a No9 in how you drop deep to link play. How did that come about and how do you balance that with being the primary scorer?

It developed from a young age. When I was a youth-team player, I played a lot in midfield – as a deep midfielder, a No8, a No10, and that helped me understand the position. It helped me be aware of my team-mates around me. As I got older, I became more of a No9 because I was good at scoring goals and making runs. It’s a huge part of my game. There’s a balance to it; you can’t always drop deep in certain games, especially when teams drop low, because you need to be in the goalscoring areas to help your team by scoring goals. But the game might open up, and you dropping deep creates space for other people, which also allows me to use my passing ability, which has developed over time as well. There may be a need to drop deep to help keep possession or help create space, and that’s what I have to decide in real time.

Is your goalscoring instinct something you’ve always had or has it come from hours of practice and refinement?

Both. I’ve always been able to score goals, even from a young age. Putting the ball in the back of the net was always something I was able to do. But then when I got to my early teenage years, I worked really hard on all different types of finishing because I understood that, in a game, you’re not going to get the perfect finish all the time. So, work on right foot, left foot, headers, free-kicks, penalties… anything. Any scenario can happen in a game, so you need to be prepared. I worked extremely hard on my finishing to become even better, especially with my left foot and headers. That allowed me to go into games full of confidence and be comfortable in those situations. Even natural goalscorers, goalscorers with the instinct to score goals, still have to work hard to be as good as possible.

How important is having the versatility to score with your head and both feet and how do you train to maintain that?

It’s really important. It separates the good strikers from the great strikers because players can score with their strong foot, but there comes a time when the opposition understands that and defenders can stop you or show you one side. So, if you’ve got as much variability as possible – being able to go left or right when you’re one-v-one, being a threat from headers – it just adds to your game and makes you even more difficult to stop. All I do is practise match-like situations, all different types of finishes, not just a perfect pass with a touch and a finish: one touch, two touch, headers, sometimes with a bouncing ball, with a ball on the floor, whatever it may be. It’s about trying to cover as many bases as possible so that you’re prepared for anything in the game.

Preparing for a match, do you study individual defenders and systems in detail, or do you focus more on playing your own game and trusting your instincts and game intelligence?

A bit of both. I don’t overanalyse the opposition. We’ll do quite a lot of analysis as a team: the threats they have, the weaknesses they have. So, when we’re in our meetings, of course I’m looking at the defenders and seeing what they do. Then, after that, I let my instincts take over. I don’t want to be thinking about the opposition too much. I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me. I like to have that instinctiveness on the pitch. Again, each game is different: you might prepare for a certain type of game and they might change their line-up just before the game. They might change their formation during the game. You have to be prepared for any scenario. In-game, it’s more important to be able to adapt and see where you can hurt the opposition, whether that’s dropping or staying high, or being in the box for crosses. You have to decide that in the moment, no matter how much analysis you do before the game.

Read the full story
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Available now
Issue 22
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“I’ve always been able to score goals,” says Harry Kane, and few would argue with that. The prolific Bayern striker has been terrorising goalkeepers since his first senior start, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur at third-tier Leyton Orient in 2011. From those humble beginnings, the 31-year-old has developed into the consummate modern centre-forward, setting record upon record along the way.
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Do you adapt your game plan depending on the type of defender you are facing?

I think so. For example, if you’re playing against a really fast centre-back, it’s unlikely that you’re going to run in behind and beat them in behind. So, maybe the game will be more to feet and more trying to play around him, playing in front of him rather than behind. It’s the same with strong, tough centre-backs. You don’t want to get into too many aerial duels and physical duels, so you might try to make counter-movements, make different movements so you’re not always getting into a physical battle. It varies depending on the opposition. I’m not lightning fast, but I’m fast enough to hurt people, and I’m not overly strong, but I’m strong enough to hold my own. So, it’s a good balance.

How do you approach a game when facing a low block of defenders or defenders who double-team you?

It’s tough and it’s something you have to get used to. Even this season, we’ve played against a lot of low blocks and they’re hard to break down and you have to be really patient, especially because you’re probably not going to get as many touches. I like to be on the ball as much as possible, but when you’re playing against a low block, there are times when you have to just be in the box, be in the right positions to let the other players find you and cross the ball. In those moments, it’s just about winning your duels. A lot of the time, I’ll be man-marked in the box, but that doesn’t mean you can’t escape your marker with good movements or good strength. It’s about finding a way. Not every game is going to be the same, so there might be moments when the ball finds you in a good position and you score, and there might be other times when you have to be really patient and you might not touch the ball a lot, but be ready for the chance when it comes and just try to take it.

What’s your process for preparing to take penalties, and how do you deal with the pressure in those moments?

No matter what anyone says, taking a penalty is nerve-racking and you feel those nerves. I try to take the pressure away by preparing well. So, once I have that ball on the spot, I’m not thinking about anything else other than my preparation. That takes away all the negative thoughts or all the thoughts of getting ahead of yourself. I just focus on putting the ball down, my steps, my routine, and then, before you know it, it’s just about execution. Of course, throughout my career, there have been times I haven’t executed it well and I’ve missed penalties and you have to accept that. That’s not a perfect solution, but if I did the preparation I want and trained the way I want, I know I’ll score more than I’ll miss, and that gives me confidence every time I take one.

You’ve risen from loan spells in the lower leagues to being one of the best strikers in the world. How did those early experiences shape you as a player and prepare you for the top level?

It was really important for me as a young 17-year-old going out on loan. At 17, 18 and 19, I was at different clubs, at different standards: League One, Championship and Premier League. It’s all about the experience of playing football, the highs and lows. It helped shape me as a player, and it helped give me the experience I needed in men’s football. It helped me grow up and understand how important and how professional you have to be to be a footballer. I recommend to any young players who haven’t had much game time to go out [on loan] and try to play as much as possible, no matter what league it is. Just getting in that routine of playing games and coming up against tough defences will definitely help you develop as a player.

“No matter what anyone says, taking a penalty is nerve-racking and you feel those nerves. I try to take the pressure away by preparing well”

Football is mentally demanding. How do you stay focused and motivated, especially after setbacks like injuries or tough defeats?

It’s hard. You play a lot of games throughout the years, and you don’t have much time off to kind of process anything. It becomes like a roundabout, just going round and round. So, there are going to be highs and there are going to be lows. You have to accept that there are going to be times when you don’t feel as good mentally as other times, but it’s just about trying to remember all the hard work you’ve done to get here. It’s a dream to be playing football for a living and playing in front of thousands of fans every week. It’s a tough environment when things are going not so well, when you’re losing games, but that’s when the real kinds of characters and leaders stand up and show their true colours. It’s important not to change who you are, not to get too high or too low. Just stay focused on what you can do and try to improve and help the team.

Are there areas of your game that you feel you still want to improve?

Yeah, there will always be areas to improve. I’ll always work to improve, whether that’s physically from a recovery point of view with the amount of games we play now. To be able to play game after game is really important, so I’m always working on different recovery solutions to make sure the body’s in the best shape possible. Then, always on the pitch, there’s game understanding. With different coaches and different managers, you start to understand different things about how they want to play, how they see it. I try to take pieces from each coach I play with. Then, just the basics: I still work on my finishing, I still work on my penalties, I still work on my passing… All the things that I’m already really good at. I still try to make sure they don’t drop levels and that they benefit and get better.

As a leader, how do you approach high-pressure games? How do you inspire confidence in your team-mates?

I’ve always tried to lead by example. So, that might be in the preparation before the big games, in training, making sure that my standards are high and I’m setting the bar higher for everyone else to follow. I like to motivate my players and try to encourage them to feel free and feel themselves, no matter what the game, what the situation, to go out there and express themselves. That’s all you can do. Ultimately, it’s the same as every other game, but it’s just a bigger consequence at the end. So, you have to not let the feelings get carried away, but also use a lot of the nerves and excitement to your advantage as well, and take that out on the pitch and use that energy to have a fire in your belly.

What’s your personal philosophy on how the game should be played?

I’m not too sure. The beauty of football is that there are so many different ways it can be played. The way we play is the way I like to play – dominate the ball, press high and make it really difficult for the other teams, and counter-press. But I’ve been with some coaches who’ve had different ideas and I still really enjoyed it under them. It’s hard to say, but the way we’ve played this season with the high press and the ball control has been really enjoyable.

Interview

Kane: The art of scoring

Bayern München striker Harry Kane reveals the tireless work on the training ground and the fine-tuned judgements that make him one of world football’s most devastating centre-forwards

INTERVIEW Toni Tomic

England’s all-time leading scorer, Kane eventually left Tottenham in 2023 with a club-best 280 strikes under his belt, and his appetite has only increased since his switch to Bayern. His haul of 36 Bundesliga goals last season established a new record for a debut campaign, and he also finished as joint-top marksman in the Champions League, before setting his sights even higher this term.

So, how does he do it? Far from being coy about his methods, Kane opens up in the following pages about the keys to his success, from honing every aspect of his game to how to cope with different types of defenders. Behind all those goals lies a mountain of hard work – and a hunger to keep improving.

You’re widely regarded as one of the best centre-forwards in the world. What does being a “natural No9” mean to you, and how do you embrace that role on the pitch?

“Natural No9” is a broad term; most No9s are different in a lot of ways. I see myself as being a goalscorer, first and foremost. That’s one of the most, if not the most, important things about being a striker and an out-and-out No9. But I like to be involved in the game a lot more than maybe other No9s. I like to drop deep and link play. I like to hold the ball up when the team is under pressure. They’re all important factors in a game. A No9 is going to be judged on goals and how many they score, but it’s important when you’re not scoring goals that you still bring an impact to the team, both with and without the ball. A lot of work that we do in the high press starts with us, starts with me as the No9. So, it’s important that I try to do that well.

How do you read the game to find space and create opportunities for yourself and others?

It’s really important to have that awareness on the pitch. My “football brain” is probably one of my best attributes – and being able to find space, knowing where to be and where the ball is going to be, rather than just following it around the pitch. I try to use my movement to create space to allow me to get more chances or even create space for other players, understanding that you might be making a run not for yourself but for someone else to get the ball. Little things like that have a big impact on the game, which may go unnoticed in the moment, but people who understand football will know the work you do.

“I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me”

You are rare as a No9 in how you drop deep to link play. How did that come about and how do you balance that with being the primary scorer?

It developed from a young age. When I was a youth-team player, I played a lot in midfield – as a deep midfielder, a No8, a No10, and that helped me understand the position. It helped me be aware of my team-mates around me. As I got older, I became more of a No9 because I was good at scoring goals and making runs. It’s a huge part of my game. There’s a balance to it; you can’t always drop deep in certain games, especially when teams drop low, because you need to be in the goalscoring areas to help your team by scoring goals. But the game might open up, and you dropping deep creates space for other people, which also allows me to use my passing ability, which has developed over time as well. There may be a need to drop deep to help keep possession or help create space, and that’s what I have to decide in real time.

Is your goalscoring instinct something you’ve always had or has it come from hours of practice and refinement?

Both. I’ve always been able to score goals, even from a young age. Putting the ball in the back of the net was always something I was able to do. But then when I got to my early teenage years, I worked really hard on all different types of finishing because I understood that, in a game, you’re not going to get the perfect finish all the time. So, work on right foot, left foot, headers, free-kicks, penalties… anything. Any scenario can happen in a game, so you need to be prepared. I worked extremely hard on my finishing to become even better, especially with my left foot and headers. That allowed me to go into games full of confidence and be comfortable in those situations. Even natural goalscorers, goalscorers with the instinct to score goals, still have to work hard to be as good as possible.

How important is having the versatility to score with your head and both feet and how do you train to maintain that?

It’s really important. It separates the good strikers from the great strikers because players can score with their strong foot, but there comes a time when the opposition understands that and defenders can stop you or show you one side. So, if you’ve got as much variability as possible – being able to go left or right when you’re one-v-one, being a threat from headers – it just adds to your game and makes you even more difficult to stop. All I do is practise match-like situations, all different types of finishes, not just a perfect pass with a touch and a finish: one touch, two touch, headers, sometimes with a bouncing ball, with a ball on the floor, whatever it may be. It’s about trying to cover as many bases as possible so that you’re prepared for anything in the game.

Preparing for a match, do you study individual defenders and systems in detail, or do you focus more on playing your own game and trusting your instincts and game intelligence?

A bit of both. I don’t overanalyse the opposition. We’ll do quite a lot of analysis as a team: the threats they have, the weaknesses they have. So, when we’re in our meetings, of course I’m looking at the defenders and seeing what they do. Then, after that, I let my instincts take over. I don’t want to be thinking about the opposition too much. I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me. I like to have that instinctiveness on the pitch. Again, each game is different: you might prepare for a certain type of game and they might change their line-up just before the game. They might change their formation during the game. You have to be prepared for any scenario. In-game, it’s more important to be able to adapt and see where you can hurt the opposition, whether that’s dropping or staying high, or being in the box for crosses. You have to decide that in the moment, no matter how much analysis you do before the game.

England’s all-time leading scorer, Kane eventually left Tottenham in 2023 with a club-best 280 strikes under his belt, and his appetite has only increased since his switch to Bayern. His haul of 36 Bundesliga goals last season established a new record for a debut campaign, and he also finished as joint-top marksman in the Champions League, before setting his sights even higher this term.

So, how does he do it? Far from being coy about his methods, Kane opens up in the following pages about the keys to his success, from honing every aspect of his game to how to cope with different types of defenders. Behind all those goals lies a mountain of hard work – and a hunger to keep improving.

You’re widely regarded as one of the best centre-forwards in the world. What does being a “natural No9” mean to you, and how do you embrace that role on the pitch?

“Natural No9” is a broad term; most No9s are different in a lot of ways. I see myself as being a goalscorer, first and foremost. That’s one of the most, if not the most, important things about being a striker and an out-and-out No9. But I like to be involved in the game a lot more than maybe other No9s. I like to drop deep and link play. I like to hold the ball up when the team is under pressure. They’re all important factors in a game. A No9 is going to be judged on goals and how many they score, but it’s important when you’re not scoring goals that you still bring an impact to the team, both with and without the ball. A lot of work that we do in the high press starts with us, starts with me as the No9. So, it’s important that I try to do that well.

How do you read the game to find space and create opportunities for yourself and others?

It’s really important to have that awareness on the pitch. My “football brain” is probably one of my best attributes – and being able to find space, knowing where to be and where the ball is going to be, rather than just following it around the pitch. I try to use my movement to create space to allow me to get more chances or even create space for other players, understanding that you might be making a run not for yourself but for someone else to get the ball. Little things like that have a big impact on the game, which may go unnoticed in the moment, but people who understand football will know the work you do.

“I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me”

You are rare as a No9 in how you drop deep to link play. How did that come about and how do you balance that with being the primary scorer?

It developed from a young age. When I was a youth-team player, I played a lot in midfield – as a deep midfielder, a No8, a No10, and that helped me understand the position. It helped me be aware of my team-mates around me. As I got older, I became more of a No9 because I was good at scoring goals and making runs. It’s a huge part of my game. There’s a balance to it; you can’t always drop deep in certain games, especially when teams drop low, because you need to be in the goalscoring areas to help your team by scoring goals. But the game might open up, and you dropping deep creates space for other people, which also allows me to use my passing ability, which has developed over time as well. There may be a need to drop deep to help keep possession or help create space, and that’s what I have to decide in real time.

Is your goalscoring instinct something you’ve always had or has it come from hours of practice and refinement?

Both. I’ve always been able to score goals, even from a young age. Putting the ball in the back of the net was always something I was able to do. But then when I got to my early teenage years, I worked really hard on all different types of finishing because I understood that, in a game, you’re not going to get the perfect finish all the time. So, work on right foot, left foot, headers, free-kicks, penalties… anything. Any scenario can happen in a game, so you need to be prepared. I worked extremely hard on my finishing to become even better, especially with my left foot and headers. That allowed me to go into games full of confidence and be comfortable in those situations. Even natural goalscorers, goalscorers with the instinct to score goals, still have to work hard to be as good as possible.

How important is having the versatility to score with your head and both feet and how do you train to maintain that?

It’s really important. It separates the good strikers from the great strikers because players can score with their strong foot, but there comes a time when the opposition understands that and defenders can stop you or show you one side. So, if you’ve got as much variability as possible – being able to go left or right when you’re one-v-one, being a threat from headers – it just adds to your game and makes you even more difficult to stop. All I do is practise match-like situations, all different types of finishes, not just a perfect pass with a touch and a finish: one touch, two touch, headers, sometimes with a bouncing ball, with a ball on the floor, whatever it may be. It’s about trying to cover as many bases as possible so that you’re prepared for anything in the game.

Preparing for a match, do you study individual defenders and systems in detail, or do you focus more on playing your own game and trusting your instincts and game intelligence?

A bit of both. I don’t overanalyse the opposition. We’ll do quite a lot of analysis as a team: the threats they have, the weaknesses they have. So, when we’re in our meetings, of course I’m looking at the defenders and seeing what they do. Then, after that, I let my instincts take over. I don’t want to be thinking about the opposition too much. I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me. I like to have that instinctiveness on the pitch. Again, each game is different: you might prepare for a certain type of game and they might change their line-up just before the game. They might change their formation during the game. You have to be prepared for any scenario. In-game, it’s more important to be able to adapt and see where you can hurt the opposition, whether that’s dropping or staying high, or being in the box for crosses. You have to decide that in the moment, no matter how much analysis you do before the game.

England’s all-time leading scorer, Kane eventually left Tottenham in 2023 with a club-best 280 strikes under his belt, and his appetite has only increased since his switch to Bayern. His haul of 36 Bundesliga goals last season established a new record for a debut campaign, and he also finished as joint-top marksman in the Champions League, before setting his sights even higher this term.

So, how does he do it? Far from being coy about his methods, Kane opens up in the following pages about the keys to his success, from honing every aspect of his game to how to cope with different types of defenders. Behind all those goals lies a mountain of hard work – and a hunger to keep improving.

You’re widely regarded as one of the best centre-forwards in the world. What does being a “natural No9” mean to you, and how do you embrace that role on the pitch?

“Natural No9” is a broad term; most No9s are different in a lot of ways. I see myself as being a goalscorer, first and foremost. That’s one of the most, if not the most, important things about being a striker and an out-and-out No9. But I like to be involved in the game a lot more than maybe other No9s. I like to drop deep and link play. I like to hold the ball up when the team is under pressure. They’re all important factors in a game. A No9 is going to be judged on goals and how many they score, but it’s important when you’re not scoring goals that you still bring an impact to the team, both with and without the ball. A lot of work that we do in the high press starts with us, starts with me as the No9. So, it’s important that I try to do that well.

How do you read the game to find space and create opportunities for yourself and others?

It’s really important to have that awareness on the pitch. My “football brain” is probably one of my best attributes – and being able to find space, knowing where to be and where the ball is going to be, rather than just following it around the pitch. I try to use my movement to create space to allow me to get more chances or even create space for other players, understanding that you might be making a run not for yourself but for someone else to get the ball. Little things like that have a big impact on the game, which may go unnoticed in the moment, but people who understand football will know the work you do.

“I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me”

You are rare as a No9 in how you drop deep to link play. How did that come about and how do you balance that with being the primary scorer?

It developed from a young age. When I was a youth-team player, I played a lot in midfield – as a deep midfielder, a No8, a No10, and that helped me understand the position. It helped me be aware of my team-mates around me. As I got older, I became more of a No9 because I was good at scoring goals and making runs. It’s a huge part of my game. There’s a balance to it; you can’t always drop deep in certain games, especially when teams drop low, because you need to be in the goalscoring areas to help your team by scoring goals. But the game might open up, and you dropping deep creates space for other people, which also allows me to use my passing ability, which has developed over time as well. There may be a need to drop deep to help keep possession or help create space, and that’s what I have to decide in real time.

Is your goalscoring instinct something you’ve always had or has it come from hours of practice and refinement?

Both. I’ve always been able to score goals, even from a young age. Putting the ball in the back of the net was always something I was able to do. But then when I got to my early teenage years, I worked really hard on all different types of finishing because I understood that, in a game, you’re not going to get the perfect finish all the time. So, work on right foot, left foot, headers, free-kicks, penalties… anything. Any scenario can happen in a game, so you need to be prepared. I worked extremely hard on my finishing to become even better, especially with my left foot and headers. That allowed me to go into games full of confidence and be comfortable in those situations. Even natural goalscorers, goalscorers with the instinct to score goals, still have to work hard to be as good as possible.

How important is having the versatility to score with your head and both feet and how do you train to maintain that?

It’s really important. It separates the good strikers from the great strikers because players can score with their strong foot, but there comes a time when the opposition understands that and defenders can stop you or show you one side. So, if you’ve got as much variability as possible – being able to go left or right when you’re one-v-one, being a threat from headers – it just adds to your game and makes you even more difficult to stop. All I do is practise match-like situations, all different types of finishes, not just a perfect pass with a touch and a finish: one touch, two touch, headers, sometimes with a bouncing ball, with a ball on the floor, whatever it may be. It’s about trying to cover as many bases as possible so that you’re prepared for anything in the game.

Preparing for a match, do you study individual defenders and systems in detail, or do you focus more on playing your own game and trusting your instincts and game intelligence?

A bit of both. I don’t overanalyse the opposition. We’ll do quite a lot of analysis as a team: the threats they have, the weaknesses they have. So, when we’re in our meetings, of course I’m looking at the defenders and seeing what they do. Then, after that, I let my instincts take over. I don’t want to be thinking about the opposition too much. I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me. I like to have that instinctiveness on the pitch. Again, each game is different: you might prepare for a certain type of game and they might change their line-up just before the game. They might change their formation during the game. You have to be prepared for any scenario. In-game, it’s more important to be able to adapt and see where you can hurt the opposition, whether that’s dropping or staying high, or being in the box for crosses. You have to decide that in the moment, no matter how much analysis you do before the game.

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England’s all-time leading scorer, Kane eventually left Tottenham in 2023 with a club-best 280 strikes under his belt, and his appetite has only increased since his switch to Bayern. His haul of 36 Bundesliga goals last season established a new record for a debut campaign, and he also finished as joint-top marksman in the Champions League, before setting his sights even higher this term.

So, how does he do it? Far from being coy about his methods, Kane opens up in the following pages about the keys to his success, from honing every aspect of his game to how to cope with different types of defenders. Behind all those goals lies a mountain of hard work – and a hunger to keep improving.

You’re widely regarded as one of the best centre-forwards in the world. What does being a “natural No9” mean to you, and how do you embrace that role on the pitch?

“Natural No9” is a broad term; most No9s are different in a lot of ways. I see myself as being a goalscorer, first and foremost. That’s one of the most, if not the most, important things about being a striker and an out-and-out No9. But I like to be involved in the game a lot more than maybe other No9s. I like to drop deep and link play. I like to hold the ball up when the team is under pressure. They’re all important factors in a game. A No9 is going to be judged on goals and how many they score, but it’s important when you’re not scoring goals that you still bring an impact to the team, both with and without the ball. A lot of work that we do in the high press starts with us, starts with me as the No9. So, it’s important that I try to do that well.

How do you read the game to find space and create opportunities for yourself and others?

It’s really important to have that awareness on the pitch. My “football brain” is probably one of my best attributes – and being able to find space, knowing where to be and where the ball is going to be, rather than just following it around the pitch. I try to use my movement to create space to allow me to get more chances or even create space for other players, understanding that you might be making a run not for yourself but for someone else to get the ball. Little things like that have a big impact on the game, which may go unnoticed in the moment, but people who understand football will know the work you do.

“I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me”

You are rare as a No9 in how you drop deep to link play. How did that come about and how do you balance that with being the primary scorer?

It developed from a young age. When I was a youth-team player, I played a lot in midfield – as a deep midfielder, a No8, a No10, and that helped me understand the position. It helped me be aware of my team-mates around me. As I got older, I became more of a No9 because I was good at scoring goals and making runs. It’s a huge part of my game. There’s a balance to it; you can’t always drop deep in certain games, especially when teams drop low, because you need to be in the goalscoring areas to help your team by scoring goals. But the game might open up, and you dropping deep creates space for other people, which also allows me to use my passing ability, which has developed over time as well. There may be a need to drop deep to help keep possession or help create space, and that’s what I have to decide in real time.

Is your goalscoring instinct something you’ve always had or has it come from hours of practice and refinement?

Both. I’ve always been able to score goals, even from a young age. Putting the ball in the back of the net was always something I was able to do. But then when I got to my early teenage years, I worked really hard on all different types of finishing because I understood that, in a game, you’re not going to get the perfect finish all the time. So, work on right foot, left foot, headers, free-kicks, penalties… anything. Any scenario can happen in a game, so you need to be prepared. I worked extremely hard on my finishing to become even better, especially with my left foot and headers. That allowed me to go into games full of confidence and be comfortable in those situations. Even natural goalscorers, goalscorers with the instinct to score goals, still have to work hard to be as good as possible.

How important is having the versatility to score with your head and both feet and how do you train to maintain that?

It’s really important. It separates the good strikers from the great strikers because players can score with their strong foot, but there comes a time when the opposition understands that and defenders can stop you or show you one side. So, if you’ve got as much variability as possible – being able to go left or right when you’re one-v-one, being a threat from headers – it just adds to your game and makes you even more difficult to stop. All I do is practise match-like situations, all different types of finishes, not just a perfect pass with a touch and a finish: one touch, two touch, headers, sometimes with a bouncing ball, with a ball on the floor, whatever it may be. It’s about trying to cover as many bases as possible so that you’re prepared for anything in the game.

Preparing for a match, do you study individual defenders and systems in detail, or do you focus more on playing your own game and trusting your instincts and game intelligence?

A bit of both. I don’t overanalyse the opposition. We’ll do quite a lot of analysis as a team: the threats they have, the weaknesses they have. So, when we’re in our meetings, of course I’m looking at the defenders and seeing what they do. Then, after that, I let my instincts take over. I don’t want to be thinking about the opposition too much. I feel like if I’m at the peak of my game, if I’m playing the best I can, then there’s not really anyone who can stop me. I like to have that instinctiveness on the pitch. Again, each game is different: you might prepare for a certain type of game and they might change their line-up just before the game. They might change their formation during the game. You have to be prepared for any scenario. In-game, it’s more important to be able to adapt and see where you can hurt the opposition, whether that’s dropping or staying high, or being in the box for crosses. You have to decide that in the moment, no matter how much analysis you do before the game.

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Issue 22
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“I’ve always been able to score goals,” says Harry Kane, and few would argue with that. The prolific Bayern striker has been terrorising goalkeepers since his first senior start, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur at third-tier Leyton Orient in 2011. From those humble beginnings, the 31-year-old has developed into the consummate modern centre-forward, setting record upon record along the way.
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Do you adapt your game plan depending on the type of defender you are facing?

I think so. For example, if you’re playing against a really fast centre-back, it’s unlikely that you’re going to run in behind and beat them in behind. So, maybe the game will be more to feet and more trying to play around him, playing in front of him rather than behind. It’s the same with strong, tough centre-backs. You don’t want to get into too many aerial duels and physical duels, so you might try to make counter-movements, make different movements so you’re not always getting into a physical battle. It varies depending on the opposition. I’m not lightning fast, but I’m fast enough to hurt people, and I’m not overly strong, but I’m strong enough to hold my own. So, it’s a good balance.

How do you approach a game when facing a low block of defenders or defenders who double-team you?

It’s tough and it’s something you have to get used to. Even this season, we’ve played against a lot of low blocks and they’re hard to break down and you have to be really patient, especially because you’re probably not going to get as many touches. I like to be on the ball as much as possible, but when you’re playing against a low block, there are times when you have to just be in the box, be in the right positions to let the other players find you and cross the ball. In those moments, it’s just about winning your duels. A lot of the time, I’ll be man-marked in the box, but that doesn’t mean you can’t escape your marker with good movements or good strength. It’s about finding a way. Not every game is going to be the same, so there might be moments when the ball finds you in a good position and you score, and there might be other times when you have to be really patient and you might not touch the ball a lot, but be ready for the chance when it comes and just try to take it.

What’s your process for preparing to take penalties, and how do you deal with the pressure in those moments?

No matter what anyone says, taking a penalty is nerve-racking and you feel those nerves. I try to take the pressure away by preparing well. So, once I have that ball on the spot, I’m not thinking about anything else other than my preparation. That takes away all the negative thoughts or all the thoughts of getting ahead of yourself. I just focus on putting the ball down, my steps, my routine, and then, before you know it, it’s just about execution. Of course, throughout my career, there have been times I haven’t executed it well and I’ve missed penalties and you have to accept that. That’s not a perfect solution, but if I did the preparation I want and trained the way I want, I know I’ll score more than I’ll miss, and that gives me confidence every time I take one.

You’ve risen from loan spells in the lower leagues to being one of the best strikers in the world. How did those early experiences shape you as a player and prepare you for the top level?

It was really important for me as a young 17-year-old going out on loan. At 17, 18 and 19, I was at different clubs, at different standards: League One, Championship and Premier League. It’s all about the experience of playing football, the highs and lows. It helped shape me as a player, and it helped give me the experience I needed in men’s football. It helped me grow up and understand how important and how professional you have to be to be a footballer. I recommend to any young players who haven’t had much game time to go out [on loan] and try to play as much as possible, no matter what league it is. Just getting in that routine of playing games and coming up against tough defences will definitely help you develop as a player.

“No matter what anyone says, taking a penalty is nerve-racking and you feel those nerves. I try to take the pressure away by preparing well”

Football is mentally demanding. How do you stay focused and motivated, especially after setbacks like injuries or tough defeats?

It’s hard. You play a lot of games throughout the years, and you don’t have much time off to kind of process anything. It becomes like a roundabout, just going round and round. So, there are going to be highs and there are going to be lows. You have to accept that there are going to be times when you don’t feel as good mentally as other times, but it’s just about trying to remember all the hard work you’ve done to get here. It’s a dream to be playing football for a living and playing in front of thousands of fans every week. It’s a tough environment when things are going not so well, when you’re losing games, but that’s when the real kinds of characters and leaders stand up and show their true colours. It’s important not to change who you are, not to get too high or too low. Just stay focused on what you can do and try to improve and help the team.

Are there areas of your game that you feel you still want to improve?

Yeah, there will always be areas to improve. I’ll always work to improve, whether that’s physically from a recovery point of view with the amount of games we play now. To be able to play game after game is really important, so I’m always working on different recovery solutions to make sure the body’s in the best shape possible. Then, always on the pitch, there’s game understanding. With different coaches and different managers, you start to understand different things about how they want to play, how they see it. I try to take pieces from each coach I play with. Then, just the basics: I still work on my finishing, I still work on my penalties, I still work on my passing… All the things that I’m already really good at. I still try to make sure they don’t drop levels and that they benefit and get better.

As a leader, how do you approach high-pressure games? How do you inspire confidence in your team-mates?

I’ve always tried to lead by example. So, that might be in the preparation before the big games, in training, making sure that my standards are high and I’m setting the bar higher for everyone else to follow. I like to motivate my players and try to encourage them to feel free and feel themselves, no matter what the game, what the situation, to go out there and express themselves. That’s all you can do. Ultimately, it’s the same as every other game, but it’s just a bigger consequence at the end. So, you have to not let the feelings get carried away, but also use a lot of the nerves and excitement to your advantage as well, and take that out on the pitch and use that energy to have a fire in your belly.

What’s your personal philosophy on how the game should be played?

I’m not too sure. The beauty of football is that there are so many different ways it can be played. The way we play is the way I like to play – dominate the ball, press high and make it really difficult for the other teams, and counter-press. But I’ve been with some coaches who’ve had different ideas and I still really enjoyed it under them. It’s hard to say, but the way we’ve played this season with the high press and the ball control has been really enjoyable.

Thanks for your interest
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