Harry Kane said there is no reason why he, Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham can’t produce their club form together in an England shirt – but just believes they need to show more positional discipline.
Kane won the European Golden Shoe after scoring 36 Bundesliga goals while Foden and Bellingham were voted the player of the year in England and Spain respectively.
But England have been underwhelming in beating Serbia 1-0 and drawing 1-1 with Denmark, with captain Kane accepting they have been below their best.
All three like to move into the No 10 area of the pitch and Kane believes they are still trying to gel, saying: “I think from all of us maybe a little bit more positional discipline [is needed]. When we look back at the games maybe there are times where we were a bit too deep. Not just us, certainly over the pitch where we had too many numbers behind their press or block. We found it very hard then to progress up the pitch.
“When we play more with each other it will get better and we will have more understanding. So maybe a bit more discipline in our positional play. We all went to get on the ball and make a difference which is great, we are all players who love getting it in those positions but we also need to be threat going forward which we haven’t been compared to our usual selves.
“It’s something we will work on and see if we can improve but I don’t think there’s an issue with us three players playing with each other. The seasons we all had speak for themselves and there’s no reason why we can’t start ramping it up on the pitch and getting to a level we know we can.”
Kane also delivered a resounding endorsement of manager Gareth Southgate by saying he is “absolutely” the right man for the job, despite England’s awkward start to Euro 2024.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Gareth and what he has done for this team and the nation,” he added. “In terms of where we were and where we are now as a national team is completely different. I think he’s brilliant on the details of making sure there is no stone unturned, everyone knows what they are going to be doing going into games. Just as a person giving us the freedom going into games to be ourselves, whether that is off the pitch or on the pitch.
“Being England manager is a really difficult job, he knows that and we know that. There are always going to be people who criticise or doubt him but his record speaks for itself: it’s really successful with us. But like all of us he’s determined to take that next step and win it and that’s what we all really determined to do. He’ll do what’s best for the nation and make the decision what is best for the team. All I will say is get behind him and support him as the players do.”