Harry Kane on the inspiration to keep on shining for England

Thursday night at Wembley was not about England v Croatia, not really. It was not particularly about the Nations League, where the hosts needed to avoid a seven-goal defeat to be sure of going through to the quarter-finals (ooh the jeopardy!). It was all about Kane.

England's captain was greeted with a huge tifo as he led his team out of the tunnel for the 98th time.

Before the anthems and handshakes he broke from the line to pick his Ballon d'Or trophy off a plinth, and be presented with a framed shirt to mark his 126th appearance for the Three Lions, a new record.

Luka Modric handed him a replica of Croatia's oldest preserved football, brought to Zupanja by English industrialists in 1880.

It was a nice touch between two teams who have got to know each other rather well in the 21st Century, and two players who were team-mates at Tottenham Hotspur.

For Kane, it was an inspiration.

Modric is 41 years-old, eight years his senior. When he was 33, Modric also won the Ballon d'Or but it has not sated his appetite.

He was only a substitute when he won his 207th Croatia cap on Thursday, but it was telling he was given a warm ovation when he came off the bench in the second half with the game still in the balance.

Few opposing players get that at Wembley, and it was in stark contrast to the reception afforded to former Leeds United loanee Ben White when he came off the home bench two minutes later. He has not been forgiven for abandoning the ship at the 2022 winter World Cup.

Modric plays his club football at AC Milan, where there is a proud history of elderly players thriving, and has contributed nearly 750 Serie A minutes already this season.

Kane seems to be getting better, a more rounded player with every year of his 30s.

His part in the first goal was a case in point. The younger Kane did not often drop deep and play passes of the quality that released Jude Bellingham to set up Morgan Rogers for England's opener in the 2-1 win, but the 2026 version spends more time away from the frontline than on it.

"That's an area of the pitch I like to play in, that kind of left pocket," he explained. "The more I play with the guys, the more of a relationship I build up with Jude and Morgan and Trent (Alexander-Arnold, selected at right-back), whoever's playing, they know when I'm in that position, I'm probably going to play that type of ball, so they make the runs.

"It's just a pass that's a big strength of mine. It's something I've practised a lot when I was young and still do. You've seen over recent years, especially, that it's been a big weapon."

To carry on as long as Modric is a big ask but Kane has plenty of incentive to go on a couple more years yet.

His penalty to win the game five minutes after sloppy England set-piece defending brought Croatia back into it with a Petar Sucic strike was his 92nd goal for his country.

Only three other players – Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Iran's Ali Daei – have hit 100 in international football but there was no dodging the question when he was asked if it was possible: "I think it's achievable for sure."

And with the talent around him, leading his team onto the winner's podium at the 2028 European Championship final at Wembley, after consecutive losing finals, looks realistic too.

"If we win a major tournament, which is my ultimate goal, the celebrations not just inside the stadium, will be incredible," he said.

Seeing someone like you achieve what you want to is perhaps the biggest motivation of all.

"He's an inspiration for all of us," marvelled Kane when asked about Modric. "What an incredible player, what a great person as well, and someone who's looked after himself, a great professional.

"To be playing at 41 now, still at this level, is a credit to all of his hard work and his mentality. That inspires me to push to the limits.

"I think you just keep going to see how far your body takes you, your mentality takes you.

"As long as I feel like I can help the national team, as long as I feel like I'm performing at the highest level, I'll be here. Whether that's until I'm 40 we'll have to wait and see.

"Right now, I'm enjoying every moment."

Thursday was just about celebrating one of the England greats and having failed to score and even missed a penalty since being crowned European football’s best player, he did not disappoint.

"It's demanding to get all the recognition, all the prizes, all the acknowledgement,” said Kane’s coach, Thomas Tuchel. “The gentleman he is, he responds to everything.

"It would be easy to lose focus, which he obviously never does.

"We were determined to get this result on his special evening. That he got it in the end with a decisive penalty makes it even more perfect.”

England won 7-0 in Croatia in October. Kane made Thursday top it.