Kane: I’m in the best shape of my career
Harry Kane believes he is in “the best shape I have been in my career” after scoring the winner for England in their World Cup warm-up match against New Zealand.
The England captain’s deft header in first-half stoppage time was enough to earn the win in Tampa, where the hot conditions affected the pace of the game.
New Zealand are the 35th different opponent that Kane has scored against for England, with this seven more than the player with the next most teams scored against (Wayne Rooney – 28).
Kane also became the fourth player to score 10+ goals for England against non-European opposition after Gary Lineker (18), Michael Owen (13) and Bobby Charlton (10).
Kane has scored in 62% of England’s games under Thomas Tuchel (8/13); of those with at least two matches in charge of the Three Lions, this is the highest percentage of a manager’s games that a player has netted in.
England face Costa Rica in one last friendly before their World Cup opener against Croatia on June 17, and Kane is feeling confident heading into the tournament.
“I think physically, mentally, it’s the best shape I have been in my career,” Kane told ITV Sport.
10 – Thomas Tuchel picked up his 10th win as @England manager tonight, in his 13th match in charge.
Only Glenn Hoddle (12) needed fewer games to reach double figures for victories with the Three Lions (Fabio Capello and Walter Winterbottom also 13).
Steadying. pic.twitter.com/qkymFQwBMI
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 6, 2026
“We’re going into a tough environment, a tough tournament, I’m excited for it. The World Cup is the biggest tournament of all and I’m looking forward to it getting started really.”
And on the win over New Zealand, Kane added: “Yeah a good win, it’s not easy. The heat is hard, the pitch wasn’t great to be honest really hard to play the way that we want to play.
“But this is why we are here, to adapt to it. In the end we probably could’ve scored a couple more we know we are here more for preparation than the result.
“The drinks breaks help. A lot of people are talking about the heat but I don’t think it’s going to be as big a factor as what some people say.
“Me personally and a few of of the boys who have been training for a while in it felt fine today. We’re all athletes, we’re all professionals and have played in warm weather conditions before.”
