Kane given MBE on New Years honours list while Southgate gets an OBE

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has hailed Harry Kane as ‘a special man’ after the England captain was rewarded for his World Cup heroics with an MBE in the New Year honours list.

Kane won the Golden Boot as the top scorer at the tournament in Russia this summer.

The 25-year-old scored six goals as Gareth Southgate’s team reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1990. The England manager will receive an OBE.

The tournament proved to be the pinnacle of another prolific year for the Spurs striker, who also helped his team finish third in the Premier League and reach the last 16 of the Champions League.

Kane has scored 41 goals in 62 appearances for club and country in 2018 and has moved into the top-five Tottenham goalscorers of all time.

‘Harry Kane is one of the best strikers in the world,’ said Pochettino. ‘His personality, his character. He is special. He is a special man, not only a special player. All that he can get in his career he fully deserves.’

Kane said: ‘It’s quite surreal, really. It’s been a great year for club and country.

‘I’m very passionate about our country, very patriotic and going back to England, it shows how good the summer was for the whole nation, not just from my point of view, but what it did bringing everyone together.

‘I’m extremely proud to be a part of that and obviously thankful to all my team-mates, all my coaches at Tottenham, England, Mauricio, Gareth, all the staff, the guys as well — without them I wouldn’t be scoring the goals and getting these accolades.’

Kane was preparing for the match against Southampton at Wembley earlier this month when he learned of the MBE. He missed a call from his fiancee Kate Goodland and received a message asking him to get in touch.

‘I thought something was wrong!’ admitted Kane. ‘But Kate was excited and told me that we’d had a letter from the Queen saying we’d get an MBE.

‘Normally we’d talk a little but she would never call me just before the match. I had a missed call and she texted me “could you answer?”.’

The news didn’t knock the striker off his game as he scored after nine minutes and created another as Spurs beat Southampton 3-1 on December 5.

Kane, who has two children — Ivy, 2, and four-month-old Vivienne — with his childhood sweetheart, added: ‘I’m proud for Kate as well and the whole family. It’s not just for me. We’re part of a journey together. It shows that the hard work has paid off.’

Southgate, who became England boss when Sam Allardyce was forced to quit after one game in September 2016, exceeded expectation in Russia with a young and inexperienced squad.

The 48-year-old, who also helped boost sales of waistcoats last summer, said: ‘I’m an incredibly proud Englishman so having had the opportunity to have represented my country as a player more than 50 times and then to manage the team at a World Cup has been an absolute privilege.

‘I hope that everybody who has supported me throughout my career feels pride in the fact that I’ve received this honour because I wouldn’t be in this position without that help and guidance.’

Also in the honours list, outgoing Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore becomes a CBE. There is an OBE for services to football for former Manchester United and Northern Ireland goalkeeper Harry Gregg.

Rangers defender Gareth McAuley, 39 has received an MBE for services to football in Northern Ireland.

Leroy Rosenior, vice-president of Show Racism The Red Card, picks up an MBE for services to tackling discrimination in sport.

Former Arsenal and FA vice-chairman David Dein has been given an MBE for services to football and for voluntary work in school and prisons.

Former England cricket captain Alastair Cook, who scored a century in his final innings before retiring in September, has been knighted.

ECB chairman Colin Graves said: ‘Alastair Cook has given so much to English cricket. It’s a fitting tribute to a man who has led with distinction on and off the pitch ever since he made his England debut.’

Cook, 34, is the first cricketer to receive the honour since Sir Ian Botham in 2007.

Bill Beaumont also receives a knighthood, for services to rugby. The 66-year-old led England to a Five Nations Grand Slam in 1980 and also captained the Lions. He is a former RFU chairman and was elected chairman of World Rugby in 2016.

Beaumont said: ‘I was very proud when I got the envelope three or four weeks ago saying I was being recommended for a knighthood.

‘I just thought, “Wow!” To think that I would be mentioned alongside the great sports people who have been knighted was very humbling.

‘I’ve just enjoyed being part of the rugby family, first as a player and then as an administrator.

‘I was lucky enough to captain my country and the Lions, and I have been fortunate to be able to give back to the sport I love.’