After scoring a brace in the UEFA Nations League group stage match, helping England defeat the Czech Republic 3-0 at home, Kane attended a post-match press conference. Below is the opening section of that press conference.

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Congratulations! Among all the records and milestones you've achieved—and we know what playing for England means to you—is this achievement the most special of everything you've accomplished?

Yes, I think it's certainly among the top achievements. There have been many milestones throughout my career, and looking back at my England debut, just being selected was a dream come true. To have made it this far, I think it's exceeded my wildest imagination. To equal the all-time appearance record of 125 caps is the highest honour for me. I love every time I come together with the England squad, I love playing in every match and representing our country to the best of my ability.

Tonight is a very special night. As I said before the match, the most important thing has always been winning, and it's not about me personally, it's about the team. To help the team achieve that by scoring two goals and seeing the team put in a strong performance, and to cap off a fantastic week—that's truly a perfect night for me.

That's classic you—not only scoring twice but also setting up another goal for a teammate. Were you disappointed to be substituted just as you were on for a hat-trick?

Ha, yes, that was certainly part of the match. I think Dom (Calvert-Lewin) has also been in great form throughout the camp, and clearly he hasn't had much playing time lately, so it's great for him to come on and get game time. With the effort he's put in at training, he fully deserved the opportunity.

You know my character—of course I'd like to play every minute. But it's important to manage everyone's fitness and form. We have a long season ahead, and I think the manager always looks ahead; we need to manage rotation and squad depth well. So while I certainly would have liked to stay on, scoring two goals and winning 3-0 is what matters most.

Harry, congratulations again. We've interviewed some of your coaches from your time at Tottenham Hotspur's academy and youth teams, and they all speak highly of your exceptional finishing ability and your dedication to extra training sessions after practice. Yet even they admit they never imagined you could reach the heights you've achieved today. Back then, were you always this determined? Did you ever think you could reach this level and break these historic records?

I'm not sure if I believed back then that I could reach this level, but I've always had strong belief in myself. I've always been willing to work harder than others, constantly pushing myself forward. I think everyone has their own limits, and I combined my natural talent with a lot of hard work, strong self-belief, and unwavering dedication. From the moment I got the opportunity, I grabbed it, and from that point on, the key requirement was never to let go. To consistently perform at the highest level, you must always have hunger and always strive for more.

I think sometimes, some players or people, after reaching the top, feel they can relax and take it easy, and that's usually when their form starts to decline. For me, it's the opposite: when I'm performing at my best, I want to do even more, find more space for improvement, and that's exactly what I'm doing now. I've just had the best season of my career, and this season I've started just as well. So I'm in a very good place right now, and for me, it's about continuing to push myself and seeing how far I can go.

If you had to pass on your experience to young academy players now, would this be your advice—push yourself as hard as you can, go the extra mile?

Yes, I think everyone's situation is different; each person has a unique development path. Clearly, my career journey is completely different from some of the other players competing here today. But I think, ultimately, everyone's career will have its ups and downs. There will always be times when you need to have faith in yourself, when you need to put in extra work behind the scenes when nobody is watching—whether that's extra shooting practice, adjusting your diet, or anything else.

I think the most important thing is to have no regrets. If you give your best effort and still don't succeed, that's life; that's the brutal nature of sport or any profession. But give yourself the best possible chance, and if you do that, whatever the outcome, you can hold your head high.

Harry, you've reached 125 caps in just 11 years, whereas Peter Shilton took 20 years. Clearly, you've only missed 28 matches in this timeframe—an extremely impressive appearance record. Throughout this time, have there been occasions when you've had to play through injury, enduring pain on the pitch? Or has your body always been in optimal condition?

No, there have certainly been times when I've had to play through pain or injury. I think any professional footballer experiences playing with discomfort, minor ailments, or some small injury at some point in their career. Early in my international career, I missed a few camps due to ankle injuries. But over the past six years or so, I've been very consistent in maintaining my fitness and being available for selection.

At the highest level of competitive sport, for any manager, having a player with high availability is one of the greatest strengths you can have. Everyone knows what coming together with the national team and being with these lads means to me. There have been some camps where I couldn't play due to physical reasons, but I think it's very important to stay with the team because I can also provide qualities that help the team off the pitch.

So I've always felt that one day this opportunity won't come anymore—I can't play forever, though I hope that day is still far away—but ultimately, there will certainly be times when I feel tired or suffer an injury. But I know that when it's all over, I'll miss it immensely. So I always remind myself to be ready whenever I can.

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