While Harry Kane is well on course to win the first trophy of his career, he’s already got numbers two and three on his mind.
The England captain is flying in his second season with Bayern Munich, now eight points clear of champions Bayer Leverkusen at the top of the Bundesliga.
Given Bayern’s winning pedigree, a first league title is looking like a formality for the former Tottenham forward, whose full focus is on seeing out the job and also competing in the Champions League.
However, there’s another big prize on the horizon this summer in the shape of the newly formatted Club World Cup, and Kane’s got one game in particular in his sights.
The expanded tournament becomes a quadrennial event this year, much like the World Cup and European Championship, and Bayern are one of the 32 teams taking part.
The Bavarians have already learned their first opponents, Auckland City, Benfica, and the one Kane is looking forward to the most – Boca Juniors.
“Yeah, that’ll be a special match,” he told AMG Global. “I think it’ll be one of the standout matches in the whole of the group phase and in the whole tournament, to be honest.
“I think it’s a great experience for the players to play against different teams around the world.
“It’s good to have those experiences against different types of teams, different atmospheres.
“I think that game is in Miami, which will be pretty special, as well, with the fan base there.”
Miami is currently the home of Lionel Messi and fellow Barcelona legends Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.
Turning up on the Argentine captain’s turf will undoubtedly be special, but there’s reason for Kane to have full confidence playing for one of the biggest teams in the world.
The 31-year-old shocked the footballing world in 2023 when he left Tottenham after 19 years being on their books to swap for Munich.
His first season didn’t go to plan as Bayern went trophyless, but this season is, and the £100million signing is loving every minute.
“I’ve only been here for 18 months but I feel like it’s been a huge part of my life already,” he explained.
“The fan base has really been incredible for me and really taken me in, almost as one of their own, and I really appreciate that.
“Playing for a club like Bayern Munich, the pressure is high, every game is intense and a lot of teams want to beat Bayern Munich to have that on their CV, so you have to be prepared at every moment.”
Discussing this season in particular under former Burnley manager Vincent Kompany, Kane continued: “I’m enjoying this season with the team, with the coach, we’re playing some really good football and that’s always a joy to be a part of, as well.
“Obviously, different coaches determine different things. Here, this season, maybe I’m not dropping as deep as maybe I was last season.
“The way we play, we have a lot of the ball and the midfielders and, maybe Jamal [Musiala] and Michael [Olise] will kind of drop and get on the ball and I’ll maybe stay a little bit higher – not to say I don’t drop at all, but maybe that’s just changed a little bit this season.
“[I’m] more of a number nine and making sure I’m in the right positions in the box to get the chances and to score some goals. But, as always, I think with every coach and with me, I’ll see what he wants and adapt my game to that.”
He’s also shown how well he’s fitting in, reflecting on the club’s ‘Mia san Mia’ motto when asked what it means to play for Bayern Munich.
“We are who we are,” he said quoting the phrase. “I think it’s important to know to be yourself and I think everyone tries to be themselves here at the club.
“No one is bigger than the other, we all participate to do our job and to be one team, to be successful.
“I think that kind of mindset comes from the fans and that goes into the team. I think that’s why the connection is so special between the players and the fans, as well.
“It’s important to never forget that and no matter where you are in the world, to always have that motto and just to be yourself.”
