'Amazing achievement' - Ben on Harry's 200
Fri 06 November 2020, 09:15|
Tottenham Hotspur
Ben Davies has witnessed 195 of Harry Kane's 200 goals for Spurs - and says the striker's success is testament to his hard work down the years.
Harry, now 27, became only the third player to reach the milestone for the Club after all-time greats Jimmy Greaves (266) and Bobby Smith (208) with the opener in our 3-1 win against Ludogorets in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday evening. It was also his 300th appearance for us having made his debut and scored his first goal back in 2011.
Ben joined us from Swansea in the summer of 2014 and was there for Harry's breakthrough season, 2014/15. Initially playing in the Europa League and League Cup that term, the Academy graduate broke into the first team and went on to score 31 goals in all competitions, including 20 in the Premier League.
He also scored 79 seconds into his England debut that season, when he came off the bench to head home against Lithuania at Wembley in March, 2015. Now captain, another 31 international goals have followed since in 49 caps - including winning the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup.
When I arrived he wasn't always a starter but he always believed in himself and became one of the world's best strikers
That 2014/15 campaign made him, and Ben was there for Harry's first goal that season, against AEL Limassol in Cyprus in the Europa League on 21 August, 2014, and the Welsh international has seen his team-mate grow from that hungry youngster breaking through to the world superstar he is today.
Speaking to us on the plane home from Bulgaria, Ben was full of praise for Harry. "It's an amazing achievement and a pay off for all his hard work and dedication," he said. "He's a great player and he deserves all the success."
A simple follow up - why did he deserve it? "It's just the work he's put in over the years," added Ben, who recently passed the 200 appearance mark for us. "I remember when I arrived he wasn't always a starter but he always believed in himself and became one of the world's best strikers."
Did Ben have a favourite Harry goal? The answer was yes... "For me, it has to be the header against Arsenal at Wembley (1-0 win in February, 2018)."
Didn't Ben provide the cross? "Yes, that's why it's a personal favourite!"
