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Harry Kane's schoolboy football coach has spoken of his immense pride that he is to follow in the footsteps of David Beckham and play for England.

The Tottenham striker, who went to the same east London school as the former England captain, is set to cap a remarkable rise to fame by making his senior international debut in tonight’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania.

The “humble” 21-year-old is more used to watching England games with his father Pat, mother Kim and brother Charlie at their Chingford local, the Sirloin, than stepping onto the Wembley turf wearing the Three Lions shirt.

Mark Leadon, 52, his head of PE at Chingford Foundation School from the age of eight, said just a year ago Kane returned to watch the sixth formers in a cup final and was standing on the touchline on his own, belying his status as a Premier League player about to take the top scorers’ table by storm.

He said: “Harry is a real talent and that was clear from day one. His clinical finishing at an early age was something to behold but it never went to his head. He always passed to other people and made the right footballing decisions. That sums him up really — he is a humble lad and a real, hard-working team player whose head has not been turned by his fame. Last year he came to the school unannounced. He was just standing there on his own, enjoying the game. He is the nicest bloke you could meet.”

Mr Leadon, now assistant headteacher, said Kane was a “model pupil” who passed his GCSEs and whose sporting prowess extended to the cricket team where he opened the bowling and batted at No4.

The former coach, whose players at the school have also included Crystal Palace’s Dwight Gale, added: “We are so excited and proud about the game tonight, let’s hope he gets plenty of time on the pitch to show what he can do. Beckham was here at the school and there was always a buzz over him. Now our pupils are buzzing over their new role model Harry Kane.”

Kane was born five miles from White Hart Lane, to a family of Spurs supporters. His girlfriend and childhood sweetheart Katie Goodland and friends talk of his easy-going manner off the pitch and that he has not let his reported £35,000-a-week wage change him.

In the early years he played for Ridgeway Rovers where Beckham and Andros Townsend began their careers, was spotted by an Arsenal scout and spent a year at the club’s academy before being released. He was then picked up by Watford, before arriving at Spurs as an 11-year-old. After spells on loan at clubs including Millwall he has scored 19 goals in the Premier League this season making him equal top scorer with Chelsea’s Diego Costa.

Chairman of Ridgeway Rovers Ian Marshall said: “Recently Harry came back for an awards day and 160 kids turned up. He was there for hours signing autographs and talking to them. After that day, he scored a hat-trick. Let’s hope he can do it again.”