GOAL Convo: The Bayern Munich striker discusses 'power' of the proper boot, chance 'to do something special' in UCL, Bundesliga
Harry Kane has found a home in Germany. The England striker has broken record after record for Bayern Munich, and might just be in line for some silverware.
Bayern are atop the Bundesliga, and Kane is the league’s top goalscorer. Bayern have found much needed consistency under new manager Vincent Kompany. Kane left Tottenham Hotspur to join Bayern in 2023 with the goal of winning the first major trophy of his professional career. While he won the Golden Boot award for the 2023-24 season, the Bavarian side went trophy-less.
Kane has once again produced memorable performances in a Bayern shirt in the 2024-25 campaign, scoring 33 goals in 37 appearances across all competitions. He also seems on course to end the trophy drought, as the German giants are favorites to win the league title and have reached the last-eight stage of the Champions League (although Inter will make for stern opposition.)
“For me, I want to win as many team trophies as I can," Kane told GOAL. "We’re at a good place in the Bundesliga and have two tough games coming up in the Champions League. With the final for that tournament being in Munich, we have an opportunity to do something special."
There is, perhaps, success to come on the national stage, too. Thomas Tuchel has been brought in to manage England, and has kept Kane in the side – the early signs there are good. Ultimately, though, this is about medals around necks. On that front, everything looks promising.
Kane, the brand, is also expanding. These days, he is an ambassador for Skechers, and last week Kane launched his own signature boot – another landmark moment.
“It’s something that I’ve always wanted to have in my career,” he said. “I’d thought to myself that hopefully one day I would make it as a footballer, but also to have my own signature boot would be pretty special. Now it’s happened, it is a special feeling.”
Kane discussed his trophy ambitions, USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino, the Club World Cup, his signature boot and even a potential career move to another type of “football” in GOALConvo, a recurring Q&A with central figures in the American and global soccer scene.
Getty Images SportON BAYERN'S TROPHY AMBITIONS
GOAL: Considering your career journey, where would winning the Bundesliga or Champions League rank for you?
KANE: It would be incredible. I’m the type of person who’s always wanted to try and improve and get better. There are always things that come up along your career, those types of records don’t always arrive, but when they do you are extremely proud of them. I’ve won a lot of individual accolades, trophies and awards – Golden Shoe last year, all-time top goal scorer for England and Tottenham Hotspur, and top goal scorer of the Bundesliga last season.
All these things that as a striker, of course, I’m incredibly proud of because it means that I am doing really well at my job. For me, I want to win as many team trophies as I can. We’re at a good place in the Bundesliga and have two tough games coming up in the Champions League. With the final for that tournament being in Munich, we have an opportunity to do something special. My focus is to keep on improving and winning and to see where it takes us.
GOAL: What's the biggest difference between playing in Germany vs. England?
KANE: In the Bundesliga more teams try to play out from the back, more teams press and sometimes even play man v man. Therefore, the spaces are a bit bigger, which we can take advantage of by bringing pace into our game. In the Premier League there's probably a bit more structure – a few more teams defend in the block.
AdvertisementAFPON THE CLUB WORLD CUP, MAURICIO POCHETTINO
GOAL: What are your views on the Club World Cup? Are you excited by the prospect of the new format, and playing in the U.S.?
KANE: I think it's going to be great. The Club World Cup is going to be unique, playing this type of major tournament with your club is different to what's been done in the past, but I think it's going to be a good experience. Going out to the U.S., as well, a year before the World Cup itself will be a great chance to get to know some of the stadiums and get to know the fans out there. I’m very much looking forward to it.
GOAL: Speaking of the U.S., what are your thoughts on Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT? You played for him at Tottenham.
KANE: I think Poch will be great for the USA team! Obviously wishing him all the best. We had a great relationship. He is a great person, a great friend, great coach. For me he's the best, or one of the best, in the world. Not just on the pitch but off it as well. His tactics are pretty much always spot on. I really can't speak highly enough of him. Helped me a lot to get to where I am now. So I'm really appreciative of him.
Getty Images SportON A SECOND CAREER AS AN NFL KICKER
GOAL: Speaking of the U.S., you've gone on record saying you'd like to be an NFL kicker one day. Is that a legitimate possibility?
KANE: I still feel like I’ve got many years until I retire from football. But when I do, being a kicker is something I want to definitely explore. I know it will be a lot of hard work. I'm not expecting to just walk up and start kicking field goals. It would be a lot of practice. But yeah, it's something I'd love to do. The NFL is something I have been following for about 10 years now, and I love it. So I would love to give it a go.
SKECHERSON HIS SIGNATURE BOOT
GOAL: You are the first player Skechers has ever designed a custom football boot for – what does that mean to you?
KANE: It means a lot. It’s great to have my first ever signature boot, with Skechers. I think it’s something that I’ve always wanted to have in my career. Obviously, when you’re a kid and you're wearing boots. I’ve always been into, like, certain colors and always been into boots. I’d thought to myself that hopefully one day I would make it as a footballer, but also to have my own signature boot would be pretty special. Now it’s happened, it is a special feeling.
GOAL: When designing what is branded the SKX_1.5 Harry Kane Player Edition boot, what was the process? What were the most important factors?
KANE: In terms of the process, the boot itself, in terms of the structure and materials, is pretty much the same as what I’m in now, as we didn’t want to change too much. The input with the color and design had a bit of back and forth to make it as personal as possible. Throughout the process, I spoke to the team at Skechers regularly by coming up with the design and sharing my thoughts and feedback.
For me, comfort, especially when I’m striking, is the most important aspect of a boot. It’s just about comfort and the balance about not being too light or not too heavy. I like mine kind of medium, in between. That’s what we found when creating this boot. It gives me enough room to move a bit in the boot, but not too much. Also, I wanted to make this boot personal to me. You will see with the design that there are a few elements that we’ve incorporated to do just that.