In Conversation: Harry Kane England & EURO 2016 Q&A : Interviews : Soccer Bible

Leading the Lions from the front, Harry Kane has gone into EURO 2016 off the back of another striking season. Now one game into the tournament and ready to go again, we catch up with a man relishing the pressure on a journey to chart up the scoresheet.

It has been a season where team ethic and self belief have been extremely important to success in the Premier League. Can England learn from that this tournament?

"Definitely, I think we can take a lot from what we have seen working this season. Self-belief is a big thing. If you don't believe in yourself then not many other people are going to believe in you. I have always had to take that into my game and I think it's something the team can use as well. You need to have that belief in a team, and if we are going to do great things we have to have that in this tournament.”

Have you had to prove yourself to get to where you want to be?

"Definitely. I have always said that hard work and self-belief have been two very important things for me along the way. There will always be ups and downs but as long as you know you have got what takes to make it, you should be able to do it.”

Do you remember training sessions where you had to stand out when you were younger?

"Yeah I am a late birthday, end of July, so that has always meant I was one of the younger ones in any team I played in. It was always important for me to prove a point that I could be with people older than me in my year, and also the year above that.”

People are going to be looking to you for goals this summer. How do you feel about that responsibility?

"I like it when people expect big things of me. I'm excited. As a striker you want to score goals and I expect to score goals throughout the tournament.”

How do you keep your belief?

"Well when people doubt you, you have to use it to your advantage. It's up to you to prove them wrong. We all work hard and there is a lot of strain involved but as long as you focus on showing what you can do, you can achieve exactly what you want to.”

A great example of that is the fact you have scored over 20 goals in successive seasons...

"Exactly. After about the first nine games of last season I only had one goal and people were doubting me. People were talking, saying I was a one-season wonder, but I had kind of expected that. I always knew I would score goals though and in the end I did score goals. To win the golden boot proved a lot of people wrong.”

A goal’s a goal but if there's a type of goal you dream of scoring, what does it look like?

"There are loads of moments in my head I have not produced yet but the main one is to win trophies. I'm yet to get a big one and I inspire to do that. In terms of goals I always picture different scenarios I may find myself in in front of goal. Of course most of the time it doesn't happen exactly as I imagine but it is something I have always done to make sure I am prepared."

It's a game of such fine margins, in the modern game do you feel players have all the tools needed to succeed?

"You have to be mentally tough. There is a lot of pressure that comes with being a footballer so you need to be able to deal with that. I think you need to be fit and be able to bang out games in all competitions. And you have to be confident. If you lose your self belief it can be a slippery road, you might never get it back."

So what inspires you?

"To be the best I can be and not to let myself and my family down. I try to keep a level head. I think you have to enjoy your football and if you are not smiling you won't be playing that well. But also when it comes to competition - you want to win. I'm a winner and that's the case no matter what I'm doing. If it was a race in the playground or if I'm playing tennis with my brother, I always want to win. That mode always sets in, no matter what I'm doing.”

It's been a quick turnaround from being a young player breaking through to being a role model for other young players...

"I like being that kind of figure and having that responsibility. Of course it has all happened quite quickly for me. It is hard to get to be playing in the Premier League - but it is even more difficult to maintain that and stay at the top level when people are trying to get your place or work out your game to stop you. So that's something I need to work on in future years but if I keep scoring more than 20 goals a season it won't be a bad thing.””

Do you have any influences from other sports?

"“I am a big NFL fan and Tom Brady is someone I have always admired. He was doubted when he got drafted and I have watched videos on how he dealt with that and I've also seen what he has gone on to achieve, being probably the greatest ever in his sport. It's a scenerio I can relate to so he is a role model of mine and someone I look up to.”

From your time with England, how much has winning in France come into your mind?

"We are in a good place. There is no fear because this is a first tournament for a lot of us. We are not putting too much expectation on ourselves but we are also going to keep believing and we will express ourselves. Let's see what we can do."