Harry Kane has congratulated Lamine Yamal on an incredible Euro 2024 campaign and admits the Spanish wonderkid poses a major ‘threat’ to England’s chances of winning the title.
Yamal, who turned 17 today, has taken this summer’s tournament by storm and scored a sublime equaliser in Spain’s comeback victory over France to help book Luis de la Fuente’s men a place in Sunday’s showpiece.
The incredible strike saw Yamal become the youngest ever scorer at a European Championships or a World Cup, eclipsing the previous record set by a 17-year-old Pele back in 1958.
This weekend, the Barcelona sensation – who has also registered three assists in Germany – can make yet more history by becoming the youngster player to feature in the final of either tournament.
England’s semi-final hero Ollie Watkins labelled Yamal a ‘generational talent’ and claimed the teenager had the ‘world at his feet’ in the build-up to the Berlin showdown.
Facing the media on the eve of the final, Three Lions captain Kane wished Yamal happy birthday and said the in-form winger was clearly playing with ‘no fear’ and a sense of ‘freedom’.
Asked how he feels about the prospect of facing a 17-year-old in a major final, Kane told reporters: ‘I guess happy birthday for today! He’s been a fantastic player.
‘At 17, to do what he’s doing on this big stage is obviously a great achievement for him and you can see he’s playing with no fear, freedom and just enjoying the big occasion.
‘We know he’s a definite threat for tomorrow night. He will be one of their main players and main threats going forward so we have to be ready for that.
‘But all I can is: well done to him for his short career so far but obviously a very good one.’
Spain have been far and away the most convincing team at the tournament and enter Sunday’s spectacle as the favourites to get their hands on a record-breaking fourth European Championship trophy.
‘That’s not for me or the players to decide. That’s for the media and the fans to think who are favourites,’ Kane replied when quizzed on Spain’s status as favourites.
‘But Spain have had a fantastic tournament. They’ve probably been the best team consistency-wise throughout the tournament so they probably earn that right.
‘But as we know, football in one game, anything can happen and we back ourselves against anyone we play against.
‘We’ve been through difficult spells in this tournament but we’ve come out the other side and that builds a tremendous amount of belief and resilience which is everything you need in a final as well.
‘We expect a tough game, we’re in a European final so expect nothing less and Spain will be difficult tomorrow night.’
It would ‘mean everything’ for Kane to banish the memories of England’s Euro 2020 penalty-shootout defeat to Italy by winning the Three Lions’ first ever final on foreign soil.
‘To be in the final again is incredible for me,’ the Bayern Munich forward continued.
‘I’ve been in this team for so many years – I’ve seen players leave, players come in. This trophy would mean everything to us.
‘We all remember the Euro 2020 final and how tough it was for us afterwards. We don’t want to repeat that. We are once again one step away from the dream, and losing in such a situation would be twice as hard.’