Kane Matches Shilton’s England Caps Record in 3-0 Win
Equalled Peter Shilton’s England appearance record by winning his 125th cap against the Czech Republic at Wembley. The captain marked the milestone with two…
At Wembley, Harry Kane turned a landmark appearance into a decisive performance. The England captain won his 125th cap against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, matching Peter Shilton’s record, and helped secure a 3-0 Nations League victory.
Kane was involved in all three goals. His cross led to Vladimir Coufal’s own goal, then he scored twice to mark the record-equalling night with a brace.
The milestone ends a record held by Shilton for 36 years. Kane, already England’s record scorer, now stands level with the former goalkeeper as the national team’s most-capped player.
England took the lead in the 27th minute when Kane’s ball from the right prompted Czech defender Coufal to put the ball into his own net. Kane then scored before half-time, finishing a move involving Elliot Anderson and Morgan Rogers.
He struck the crossbar after the break, but soon added a second goal with a header from Lewis Hall’s delivery. Kane left the field in the 81st minute to a standing ovation at Wembley.
Harry Kane matches Shilton’s England record
Shilton congratulated Kane in a message shared on social media, predicting that the striker would surpass the mark. “You will go on and beat it in November I am sure of that, and maybe go on and set a record that may never be beaten,” Shilton wrote.
The former England goalkeeper also praised Kane’s dedication and leadership, saying the captain had been “still playing well and scoring goals.” Shilton added that playing as a striker was among the hardest positions, with goalkeepers just behind.
Kane made his England debut by scoring 79 seconds after coming on, according to BBC Sport. He has now scored 91 international goals across 125 appearances, having entered the Czech Republic match with 89 goals from 124 caps.
“To be now at 125, it's just an extreme privilege,” Kane said after the match, according to Sky Sports. He called the night special, while stressing that the result mattered more than his individual milestone.
“The most important thing was the victory and the win. It's not about me, it's about the team,” he said. “To help the team achieve it with a couple of goals and a good team performance and finish the week strong, it's been a perfect night for me.”
From youth goalkeeper to England captain
Kane’s path to the record began at Ridgeway Rovers, where he arrived for trials as a six-year-old in 1999. Former coach Dave Bricknell recalled that Kane initially volunteered to play goalkeeper and impressed with his saves. A parent then told the coaches he was better out on the pitch.
“We put him on pitch and he smacked goals in left, right and centre,” Bricknell said. “So he ends up being our centre-forward.”
Kane’s scoring for Ridgeway Rovers and Waltham Forest drew attention from professional scouts. Arsenal signed him as a youngster but later released him; Watford also passed on the chance to take him, according to BBC Sport.
Trevor Bailey, who managed Kane at Waltham Forest, said the young forward kept moving and made the most of chances. Former Arsenal academy coach Alex Welsh said Kane’s goalkeeping experience may have helped him understand what opposing keepers dislike, including being made to face an early shot before they are set.
The record also came during a strong international break for England. The team finished it with three wins from four matches and 14 goals, Sky Sports reported. Kane’s 125th cap came in a 3-0 win at Wembley, with his name now alongside Shilton’s at the top of England’s appearance list.
Source: bbc.co.uk
