'The desire is real': Harry Kane says he wants to play in NFL

Harry Kane is making plans for a move to the United States after his Premier League career ends, although unlike David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Steven Gerrard he may not play in MLS.

The Tottenham striker has long been a fan of NFL – his dogs are named after quarterbacks Tom Brady and Russell Wilson – and in an interview with ESPN published on Wednesday, he says he would like to become a kicker. “[The desire to play in the NFL] is real,” said the 25-year-old. “Something that in 10 or 12 years I definitely want to try.”

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Kickers are among the lowest paid players in the NFL – although most still earn upwards of $1m a year – but Kane says the move would not be about money. “It goes back to that drive to be the best,” he said. “Even if I download a game on my phone, can I be the best in the world? … If you play in the Premier League and the World Cup and you then play in the NFL, would you then be considered one of the greatest sportsmen ever?”

Kane also expresses admiration for the New England Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady, who is still one of the best players in the NFL at the age of 41. Both men were not seen as outstanding talents when they were young athletes, and both have gone on to find success: Kane attended this year’s Super Bowl, where Brady won his sixth title.

“Not many people thought he’d become that good, or even play in the NFL, and he went on to become the best ever,” said Kane. “At the time, it gave me a real boost to say, look, anything is possible. If you have that self-belief and that drive and that hunger, you can do it.”

Kane said the bond was strong enough for Brady to invite him to the Patriots’ Super Bowl victory party after they had talked on social media. “We’d kind of become friends but had never met,” Kane said. “It was a bit strange. I hadn’t been a fan of any team since I was young and supporting Tottenham.”