One of four players to have scored five goals in this season's UEFA Europa League group stage, Tottenham Hotspur FC striker Harry Kane's European form has led to calls for him to become a regular starter at White Hart Lane. UEFA.com charts the England Under-21 international's career so far.
Clubs: Tottenham Hotspur FC, Leyton Orient FC (loan), Millwall FC (loan), Norwich City FC (loan), Leicester City FC (loan)
UEFA honours
none
• Born in Walthamstow, London – very much on the borderline in terms of Arsenal FC and Spurs support – Kane was Tottenham through and through, growing up idolising former White Hart Lane favourites Jürgen Klinsmann and particularly Teddy Sheringham. "He scored goals, he created goals, he got involved in the play, which I like to base my game on as well," Kane explained. "It was great to grow up watching a player like that."
• Having shone in the Tottenham academy, Kane made his professional debut – and scored his first professional goal – aged 17 in England's third tier while on loan with Leyton Orient, and gained more experience in subsequent years with loan spells at Millwall, Norwich and Leicester.
• Kane made his Spurs debut in the 2011/12 UEFA Europa League, playing in six qualifying and group stage games, and getting his first goal for the club in a 4-0 win against Shamrock Rovers FC in Dublin on 15 December 2011. "I made my Tottenham debut in the Europa League and it's a great competition," he said recently. "That's especially the case this season with a Champions League place for the winner, so a lot of teams will be going hammer and tongs for that."
• After representing England at the 2012 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, Kane made his first Premier League appearance in a 2-1 loss at Newcastle United FC at the start of the 2012/13 campaign.
©Getty Images Kane with England's U21s• Kane took the step up to the national U21 team during the 2013/14 season, and featured increasingly regularly for Spurs, notably scoring in three successive Premier League matches in April 2014. Calls for him to become a regular starter intensified due to his fine form in this term's UEFA Europa League.
• Kane netted in both legs against AEL Limassol FC in the play-offs, then struck against Besiktas JK before hitting the first hat-trick of his club career at home to Asteras Tripolis FC – even ending the game as a stand-in goalkeeper, conceding a rather soft goal from a free-kick shortly after Hugo Lloris had been sent off.
• "I think I'm all right in goal but obviously not – Hugo obviously makes it look easier than it is," he told UEFA.com. "It's something I'll have to live with for the rest of my life. I got hold of the match ball at the end – safe hands on that one!"
Well that was an eventful night haha! Buzzing to get my 1st hat-trick??Think I need to practise my goalkeeping skills?? #butterfingers #COYS
— Harry Kane (@hkane28) October 23, 2014
• Kane also has a chance to shine with England at the UEFA European U21 Championship finals in the Czech Republic, having found the target in their play-off victory against Croatia.
©Getty Images Spurs manager Mauricio PochettinoThey say …
"We understand he is a special player for Tottenham and for our supporters."
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino
"If you get the ball into the box, he's a real danger and he's a very, very good finisher, which we see all the time in training. He works at it and, over the last six months with Spurs, he's started to transfer that onto the pitch as well, which has done his confidence the world of good."
England U21 boss Gareth Southgate
"He's a fantastic lad and has a wonderful knack of scoring goals. He gets in the right position and then, when he's given the opportunity, he's a good finisher and very clinical. He's not blessed with the best pace but he’s very clever in his movement in and around the penalty box."
Kane's youth coach, former Tottenham striker Clive Allen
He says ...
"My aim is to get into the senior England squad but I've got to just keep concentrating on my club football and do well every time I get the chance. Andros Townsend got his chance, was playing well and got his reward. It's great to see him get that trust and hopefully if I keep doing what I'm doing that might happen in the future. Under-21 international football is important and we've done well and are looking forward to the championship. As a striker you want to get your goals on any stage."
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