Kane set to start England’s appearance-record match at Wembley
England coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed Harry Kane will captain the side against Croatia at Wembley on 12 November. Playing would take Kane to 126 appearances, breaking the record he shares with Peter Shilton. He will also present his Ballon d’Or trophy to the home crowd as England approach the final matches of their Nations League group.
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Tuchel names Kane for a landmark appearance
Harry Kane will lead England against Croatia at Wembley on 12 November, with coach Thomas Tuchel confirming that the striker will start as captain. An appearance in the Nations League match would be Kane’s 126th for England’s men. It would move him ahead of former goalkeeper Peter Shilton, with whom he currently shares the national appearance record.[1], [2]
The match is also Kane’s first since winning the Ballon d’Or, football’s individual award, and he will present the trophy to England’s supporters at Wembley. Tuchel described the combination of that presentation and the appearance milestone as a special occasion. He said there would be considerable emotion and praise before kick-off, while stressing the importance of Kane being ready for the competitive game.[1]
England prepare for Croatia’s response to a 7-0 defeat
England won the teams’ October meeting in Rijeka 7-0. Tuchel nevertheless expects Croatia, coached by Slaven Bilić, to respond at Wembley. He pointed to Croatia’s subsequent performance against Spain, saying they had missed major chances before conceding a late goal. He described the visitors as a proud national side with quality players who would want to show the heavy loss was an exception.[1]
Tuchel urged his players to concentrate on the actions behind the October result rather than chase the same score. He highlighted their attacking and defensive work and said England needed to match or exceed the opponents’ intensity. After Croatia, England travel to Spain to face the Group A3 leaders. A point from the final group fixtures is enough to secure a place in March’s quarter-finals.[1], [2]
A Bayern partnership carries into the national team
Tuchel worked with Kane at German club Bayern Munich during the 2023-24 season. Asked about the striker’s influence on his decision to coach England, he described Kane as a standout player. Their existing working relationship helped make the decision easier. Tuchel said he had also been excited by the chance to choose and work with the wider England squad and to be close to the Premier League.[2]
The coach recalled discussing the England role with Kane at the player’s home in Munich. They talked about what each wanted from the job, and Tuchel said he knew he would have a captain who led through his example. He praised the squad’s attitude, spirit and energy, describing Kane’s captaincy as an additional benefit of taking the post.[2]
