Kane takes his responsibilities as a role model seriously, speaking about causes close to his heart

One in three children in London are overweight or obese. Cost-conscious councils and cash-strapped schools sell off playing fields to land-hungry, wealthy developers. Everyone from the National Health Service to the national team is ultimately affected. “It’s scary,” said Harry Kane, the Tottenham Hotspur and England centre forward.

The 23-year-old Londoner wants to speak out and let people know the escalating problem. Kane is happy to lead on and off the field. He wants to captain Spurs and “be a club legend” — timely comments given the amount of speculation about his future.

He also wants the England armband at some point and insists that footballers are role models — pertinent observations with so much debate about England players’ behaviour. Kane doesn’t drink, once took