England is banking on Harry Kane‘s golden touch returning to the knockout-phase game against Slovakia in the European Championship.
“Knockout football is a different prospect to the group stage,” Kane said. “We’ve handled that well in the past, and now it’s time to do that again.”
England’s all-time record scorer has made a habit of saving his best for the late stages and aims to continue that streak on Sunday against Slovakia in the round of 16 on Sunday (noon ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).
Kane is six for six in knockout games at the Euros and the World Cup, with six goals in his last six tournament knockout games.
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“It’s kind of the process of tournament football,” the England captain said Saturday. “Naturally, you get physically stronger … [and] sharper as you play more games. A lot of the players come into their peak sharpness at the knockout stage”
[Related: Harry Kane must find his voice before England’s Euro 2024 campaign goes silent]
Compared to recent tournaments, Kane is already ahead of schedule after scoring a record-extending 64th goal for England in the 1-1 draw with Denmark during the group stage.
He failed to score at the same stage of the last Euros three years ago and the World Cup in 2022.
He followed that with four goals in the knockout phase of the Euros in 2021 to help fire England to the final, and scored two more in the round of 16 and quarterfinals of the World Cup in Qatar.
“Being the striker in the team, obviously I want to score goals and help the team get through.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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