Gareth Southgate is not worried about the prospect of Harry Kane struggling with pressure as he closes on Wayne Rooney's England goals record.
Kane scored the winner as the Three Lions beat Switzerland 2-1 in Saturday's friendly at Wembley, converting a penalty 12 minutes from time.
It took him level with Bobby Charlton on 49 goals for England, meaning only Rooney on 53 is now ahead of the Tottenham star.
Rooney, who coincidentally broke Charlton's initial record with a penalty against Switzerland in 2015, was considered by many to have passed his peak when he reached 50 goals, as he only went on to score another three.
There was also a degree of obsession around the achievement in the lead up, with the idea that Rooney struggled somewhat with the pressure a common theory.
Whether that truly was the case, only Rooney knows, but Southgate is convinced Kane will not be impacted in such a way.
Asked if he wanted Kane to break the record before the World Cup so it does not become a distraction, Southgate jovially replied: "I'd like him to break it in the World Cup final!
"I think he's quite calm about it, confident he can get there because his goals per game record is phenomenally good.
"I don't know where that would compare to Jimmy Greaves, but I imagine he's the only other player who'd be close [to Greaves], so I think he knows there's always going to be speculation.
"If he doesn't break it before [the World Cup] then [the country] will be saying he's out of form and should he be in the team.
"One way or another, the focus will be on him – he's used to dealing with it and I'm sure he'll be very calm about it whichever way."
But in the eyes of Southgate, there is much more to Kane than just his goals, with the England manager delighted to have such a talent who also acts as an example with his attitude.
"I think the names he's amongst now are incredible, aren't they? He'll appreciate that history and it'll mean a lot to him to be in with those people," Southgate said of Kane pulling level with Charlton.
"You'd have to say he looks favourite to go and do that [break Rooney's record], I don't want to put any sort of curse on that and say any more, but he wants the team to do well.
"He has this dual drive. What's great is that means that whenever he turns up, because he also has the individual ambition, there's never a camp where he doesn't look like he wants to play, or doesn't want to be involved or at the forefront of things.
"That's the mentality that then spreads through the rest of the group, so I'm very pleased for him and I think in the second half especially we were just about value for the win."
England are in action again on Tuesday when they host Ivory Coast. Three days later they will find out their opponents at Qatar 2022 when the World Cup draw is made.
Trip of a Lifetime! JustBet to take lucky football fan to London for UCL Finals 2024
Pepetho Barrett, a devoted Real Madrid fan, is walking on air after winning an all-expenses-paid trip for two to the UEFA Champions League final between Dortmund and Real Madrid at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London courtesy of JustBet and SportsMax.
Overflowing with excitement, Barrett exclaimed, "I am still in shock. It's a dream come true to watch my team live. I'm so grateful to JustBet for providing me with an opportunity that seemed out of reach," he added. “Winning this trip is amazing and knowing that I get to watch my team, Real Madrid live, makes it a trip of a lifetime!”
JustBet, Jamaica's premier sports betting and entertainment brand presented Barrett with a symbolic boarding pass at Sabina Park during the hotly contested Jamaica Premier League semi-finals on Sunday, May 12, 2024.
In addition to the main prize, Anthony Belcher secured the third-place prize, claiming a brand new Apple iPhone 15 Prom Max. Steven Lindsay emerged as the second-place winner, walking away with a cutting-edge entertainment system complete with a TV, PS5, and soundbar.
“Sports betting is our fastest growing segment at Supreme Ventures and so it made sense for us to enhance our customers betting experience by partnering with Sportsmax to offer a chance to win a once-in- a-lifetime experience at the UCL Finals,” remarked, Kamal Powell, Head of Marketing at Supreme Ventures Limited. “There’s much more in store for us here at JustBet so we encourage our players to join the action and don’t miss an opportunity to feel the thrill of winning.”
The highly anticipated match that represents the pinnacle of club football is set for June 1.
Cavalier’s 'Busy' Atkinson takes aim at second Jamaica Premier League title: "It would mean a lot to me and my teammates..."
Dwayne ‘Busy’ Atkinson scored his sixth and arguably most crucial goal of the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League season when he netted the opening goal for Cavalier FC against Arnett Gardens FC in their return leg semi-final at Sabina Park on Sunday.
With the tie delicately poised at 1-1 after the first leg, it was evident that in a match defined by fine margins, the first goal in the return leg would be pivotal.
The match was only 15 minutes old when Atkinson converted from the penalty spot to put the ball in the back of the net, giving Cavalier a 1-0 lead on the day and a 2-1 advantage on aggregate.
A stunning strike by Adrian Reid in the sixth minute of added time at the end of the first half then provided last season’s runners-up with a perfect 2-0 cushion heading into halftime. Keith Simpson's stoppage-time goal in the 94th minute was only a consolation for Waterhouse, as the game concluded 3-2 on aggregate in favor of Cavalier.
Atkinson was just 19 years old when he clinched the title with Cavalier in 2021. Having gained valuable experience overseas playing in Iceland last year, he hopes that the lessons learned in Europe will prove beneficial when they face Mount Pleasant FA in the final for a second consecutive season.
The designated penalty taker for Cavalier revealed that he was confident when he stepped up to take the spot-kick against Arnett Gardens goalkeeper Eric Edwards.
He also emphasized the importance of scoring first for Cavalier to quieten the vocal Arnett Gardens fan base.
“It was really important for us to take the lead against a team like Arnett, who have such a large fan base,” he noted.
While expressing confidence ahead of Sunday’s showdown against the reigning champions, Atkinson remained mindful of the threat they pose.
“I am very confident of victory, but Mount Pleasant is a very good team, so I need to put in a lot of work with the boys and stay focused for this one,” said the diminutive winger.
Last year’s painful defeat in the final has been a driving force for Cavalier all season, especially for Atkinson and his teammate Richard King, who were both playing for Vestmannaeyjar FC in Iceland at this time last year.
They both missed the final and are thrilled to have the opportunity to rectify last year’s disappointment.
Atkinson admitted that it was agonizing to watch from afar and not be able to assist his team, but he is now ready to claim his second premier league title come Sunday.
“I have no words to describe how I felt last year, not being able to help my teammates, but I was playing for another team in another league at that time. This season, we have worked hard and have been dedicated to achieving our championship goals.”
“It would mean a lot to me and my teammates to win this season because, as you can see, there is a lot of talk going around that Cavalier only won the JPL during ‘corona time,’ so winning this one would be fantastic,” he explained.
Surprisingly, Atkinson says he would have preferred to play the final at Sabina Park.
“I would have preferred to play the final at Sabina Park instead of the National Stadium because it has a better pitch than the stadium.”
The 22-year-old is gearing up to put on a show in the final with hopes of securing another overseas contract at the end of it all.
“I believe that an outstanding performance in the final could help me secure another overseas contract, so I want to deliver for my team,” he acknowledged.
Cavalier and Mount Pleasant will battle it out in the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League finals at the National Stadium on Sunday, May 19, starting at 6:30 pm.
NB: The Jamaica Premier League final will be aired live on Sportsmax.
Getafe 0-3 Atletico Madrid: Griezmann treble seals Champions League qualification
Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 LaLiga win at Getafe on Wednesday as Diego Simeone's side sealed Champions League qualification.
The France star opened the scoring in the 27th minute from Rodrigo De Paul's throughball and had his second shortly before half-time, flicking Samuel Lino's pinpoint pass past Getafe goalkeeper David Soria.
Griezmann completed his hat-trick in the 51st minute with a fine finish under Soria's legs, with Lino claiming his second assist by playing Los Colchoneros' all-time leading scorer into the area.
It was Griezmann's second hat-trick of the season, after he also netted three times in a 3-0 win at Celta Vigo last October.
With two games remaining, Simeone's side are now on 73 points in fourth, 11 ahead of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, who lost 2-1 against Celta Vigo on Wednesday.
Data Debrief: Griezmann repeats the trick
Griezmann is the only player to score two hat-tricks in LaLiga this season, and the only player to net a treble with all three goals coming on his left foot.
He might need to go even further to put himself in Golden Boot contention, though, with his 16 goals for this term putting him behind Artem Dovbyk (20), Jude Bellingham, Alexander Sorloth (both 19) and Robert Lewandowski (17).
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