Fri 10 June 2022, 12:00
Tottenham HotspurIt’s five years to the day that the international careers of two Spurs icons crossed for the one and only time.
It was a pivotal moment as well. Jermain Defoe’s 57th and final England cap came on the same day - 10 June, 2017 - that Harry Kane captained the Three Lions for the first time. What an occasion as well – a derby against the ‘Auld Enemy’ as England and Scotland met in a World Cup qualifying match at Hampden Park.
After an absence of over three years and at the age of 34, Jermain’s form at the time at Sunderland earned a recall into Gareth Southgate’s squad with Harry and Wayne Rooney injured for the friendly against Germany and World Cup qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley in March, 2017.
‘JD’ didn’t feature against Germany but started against Lithuania - and you know the rest. He opened the scoring for his 20th international goal in what would be his 56th and penultimate cap as England won 2-0 at Wembley.
Fast-forward three months and Harry was fit, in flying form - he’d just scored eight goals in a week to secure the Golden Boot, as we finished second in the Premier League - and named captain for what would be an incredible clash in Glasgow. England led until three minutes from time when Leigh Griffiths struck via two free-kicks to turn the game around going into added time. Southgate threw on Jermain as England searched for a late, late leveller and found it thanks to Harry’s volley at the far post as the clock read 90+4. That was Harry’s sixth goal - he’s now up to 50, only the second player to achieve the half-century - while those few minutes together in an England shirt proved the last as this was Jermain’s 57th and final cap.
The pair with a staggering 391 goals for Spurs between them - both in the Club’s all-time top five (Harry now on 248, JD on 143) - got back together at Hotspur Way for a Spurs TV special in May, where Jermain took the role of interviewing Harry - and recalled that day at Hampden Park.
JD: “Remember the first time you led England out as captain?”
Harry: “Yes, the first time was Scotland away, that was the first time I was given the armband, World Cup qualifier. You were there - you came off the bench.”
JD: “Yes, and that was my last game. Your first as captain, my last cap.”
Harry: “Wow, really? I remember the last-minute goal. I can see it now...”
JD: “Do you know what’s funny about that goal? I remember the cross going to the back post. I was right behind you. I remember seeing the ball coming and then ‘H’ volleyed it in. I thought, ‘I would have got there three years ago!’ ‘H’ scored, and we went mad.”
Harry: “They were 1-0 up and then they scored two free-kicks.”
JD: “I was on my heels a little bit, ‘H’ has come in, bang!”
Harry: “That was your last game?”
JD: “Yes, that was my last cap. 2017. It’s mad that your first game as captain was my last cap. Mad.”
Watch - ‘JD meets Harry’ in full...
Jermain talks to Harry about a number of subjects including when they first met when Harry was 11 and Jermain decided to stop off and play football with youngsters in a park in Chingford, JD’s first impressions when Harry trained with the first team, the development of Harry’s game, handing over the ‘18’ shirt, Harry’s records and Golden Boots, England and Jermain’s recent retirement. Enjoy!
