“I’ve never been to the opera – I’d love to go": Chatting musicals and social media with Harry Kane

Hi, Harry. You’re a keen golfer. What’s your best round?

Best round of golf’s even par.

Nice.

I’ve done that twice. I’m yet to break par.

What else do you do in your free time?

I love going for dog walks with the family – going into the forest, spending an hour or two walking.

We here on ShortList have looked at the concept of a ‘highbrow World Cup’. In the football world, do you talk about art or opera?

When we’re at football we talk about everything. Art and opera ain’t really among the things we speak about. Me, personally, I’ve never been to the opera, so I’d love to go.

Would a day in an art gallery be fun, or your idea of hell?

It would be boring for me. I like to be active. A day in an art gallery’s not my type of day, if I’m honest.

Is it now more acceptable for footballers to be considered less traditionally ‘laddy’?

I think the world’s changed now. People have a right to do what they want and like what they want. No one would think any less of anyone if they liked that sort of stuff. I find it interesting when you talk to people and they like different things to you.

Are there any particular footballers who are known for liking going to the theatre, for example?

I like theatre. I’ve been to Jersey Boys and I’ve been to Mamma Mia!. Quite a few of the boys have, so that’s becoming more common, I think.

What did you make of Mamma Mia!?

I enjoyed it, actually. Jersey Boys is my favourite. I want to go and see Motown.

When you go to the theatre, what are you looking for?

I enjoy music. I want it to take me back to that kind of [Jersey Boys] era. Just to have a little understanding of what it was like – how they dressed, how they acted.

You’re the brand ambassador for new Hugo Boss fragrance, United. What’s your grooming routine?

Get up, shower first thing and then next would be brushing the teeth. Then I’d sometimes blow-dry my hair – if not, I just slick it back, bit of wax in it, bit of face cream on, aftershave on and then out the door, really.

Has that changed since you were a teenager?

I didn’t have as much hair when I was younger, so I probably didn’t spend as much time on the hair.

Your Boss Bottled campaign is all about success. What does success smell like to you?

Boss – United.

What a coincidence. And what does success feel like?

I see success as winning. I always wanna win. Being able to provide for my family – especially now, having a daughter and I’ve another child on the way. Being there for them. Being a good dad.

Footballers get paid a lot of money. Do you ever feel there’s so much money that you struggle to spend it?

I would never have thought that football would generate this amount of money. You’ve just got to appreciate it. We work very hard at what we do and we give up a lot of time away from the family, which maybe not everyone sees.

Apart from property, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought?

Probably a car. I bought a Bentley Supersports last year.

Read more: Harry Kane: “I’d play in goal for England”

Post-match football interviews have quite a reputation for certain clichés. Is that because you’re all trained to do that?

We don’t do much training but it’s more of a protection thing: whatever you say can always get twisted in the wrong way. In this day and age, with social media it can go viral so quickly. People know what to say. You don’t want to end up in hot water.

Tweets are interesting these days. Is it refreshing to have your own social media platforms? Is it a buzz to communicate with fans in that way?

Yeah. It works both ways. It’s a way of getting your personality across but not everyone wants to do that. Some people don’t like being in the public eye so much.

Which are you?

I’d say I’m in the middle. I enjoy what I do and I don’t mind giving some stuff away, but I’m quite private as well. Some people like to just put their whole life on social media. I’m not that type of person, but I understand it’s a role of the job now.

Harry Kane is the Boss Bottled United fragrance ambassador, #BOSSUnited

(Images: Getty)