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As England prepare for the UEFA EURO 2020 final against Italy on Sunday, the importance of the Three Lions’ first showpiece in 55 years is not lost on captain Harry Kane.
Yet far from being a heavy burden, the 27-year-old sees the Wembley decision-maker as an opportunity to ‘remember in history’ as England tried to win a first European title. Kane spoke to EURO2020.com about the final, how England’s state of mind has changed and how he plans to deal with Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.
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By playing the final at home
Playing at Wembley makes the occasion even bigger and even more special. Having our own fans out there singing and giving us a boost – the energy is going to be amazing. So there won’t be a better place to win our second major trophy than at Wembley again.
It is a great moment in our history as a nation. The excitement is going to be through the roof; I’m sure there will be some nerves as well. It’s just about going out there and feeding off all that energy in the stadium and the crowd and trying to use that to our advantage.
On the importance of the game in the history of England
In 1966, obviously England won the World Cup and that was an incredible achievement as a team and as a country. The fans are so behind us, at every tournament they push us and ask us to go far and it was no different.
We now have the ability to create even more story, and [for] our parents and family members who have never seen England in the final before – and I know that extends across the country.
It’s a special time and if we can finish the job and win then obviously we will remember the story for the rest of our lives. This is the challenge we have, so we will have to go up to it.
On the England team’s change of mind
I said before the game [against Denmark] that there are a lot of questions as to whether we’re going to learn from past experiences, from 2018 onwards. I said I felt like this team did. We are in a better position mentally, facing these kinds of games. But it’s about playing on the pitch and we’ve shown that clearly. It was the first time that we fell behind in the tournament, the first goal we conceded.
There was no panic. There was no disorganization. We stick to the process; we knew what we were capable of. And then after that, we grew in the game, scored the goal and fully deserved the victory. It shows great confidence in each other, a great mindset about the direction we want to take as a team. And we will need it on Sunday if we want to be champions too.
Facing Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci
Above all, they are great defenders. They read the game very well and know where to be; they have excellent positioning. And, of course, they’re two warriors. So I will expect a big battle. But that’s what you play football for. I just lead the battles against the centerbacks all the time.
They are going to stake everything so that they win and we are going to stake everything so that we win. May the best win, but I can’t wait to take on this challenge. As a forward, if you want to be the best, you have to play against the best, and that will be the case on Sunday.
Against an undefeated Italian team in 33 games
It will be a tough game. Italy is a great team. They also have a great history of winning major tournaments. They have a lot of experience in the team, they have great people, but collectively they have a real unity. It’s going to be an uphill battle, but you know we have more than enough on our team to win.
We just have to be focused on ourselves, take care of all the preparation and come into this game with the mindset that we have taken in all the other games: that we are capable of winning. In big games, in big finals, it’s the little things that get you across the line, and we have to make sure they’re in our favor.
On what it would mean to win the EURO
It would mean everything to me and this team for sure. I’ve said it before: winning something with your nation would surpass anything you can do at the club level, so we have that opportunity. It has been a long time since our country was in the final, so we will have to grab it with both hands now.
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