Wayne Rooney had to decline the opportunity to award Harry Kane with a commemorative golden boot to mark the current England captain becoming the national team’s all-time leading goalscorer.
Kane surpassed Rooney as this country’s best ever goalscorer, scoring his 54th international goal in Thursday’s 2-1 win over Italy.
Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt made the presentation just before kick-off; Kane receiving the award alongside wife Kate and three children Ivy, Vivienne and Louis. But the FA originally reached out to former England captain Rooney to make the presentation - but the DC United head coach couldn’t make the trip over to England due to his commitments with the MLS side.
Meanwhile, Kane has revealed England legend David Beckham and NFL icon Tom Brady have both been in touch since the historic night in Naples.
‘I’ve had a lot of messages, a lot of friends and family,’ said Kane. A lot of ex players. It's been a whirlwind, I've been trying to settle down ahead of this game. Wazza [Rooney], Beckham, all the English legends. Tom Brady reached out. Some good friends there.’
The FA are close to appointing a new director of equality, diversity and equality (EDI). The governing body started the process of appointing Edleen John’s successor in October, using recruitment firm Perrett Lever to aid their search. But they are understood to be days away from making the key appointment. Rachel Brace, the FA’s head of HR, has been leading the organisation’s EDI department on an interim basis since John’s departure. The successful candidate will work closely with all England mens and women’s teams.
Reece James is not expected to be a long-term inquiry absentee after pulling out of the squad on Saturday.
The FA confirmed the Chelsea star had withdrawn from Gareth Southgate’s party ahead of the Ukraine clash but didn’t specify details of the injury. But sources have indicated James is suffering from a minor hamstring strain and returned to Chelsea as a precautionary measure.
Indeed, the FA’s commitment to EDI was in full view yesterday as the family of Jack Leslie, who should have been England’s first black footballer, received his posthumous international cap at Wembley. Leslie, who played for Plymouth Argyle, was called up to play for England in 1925 but was subsequently deselected due to the colour of his skin.
Remarkably, this game provided James Maddison with his first ever England start. It was a tidy, if not spectacular, full debut from the Leicester man.
23 - The number of goals Bukayo Saka has been directly involved in during his last 34 games for club and country. His goal at Wembley was his 16th in that time.
It’s not often the opposition’s national anthem isn’t booed by at least sections of supporters when England are playing. Thankfully on Sunday, the Ukraine anthem was impeccably observed by everyone at a sold-out Wembley Stadium. Before kick-off both sets of players gathered to hold up a Ukrainian flag with ‘Peace’ emblazoned across it. Ukraine legend Andrey Shevchenko said: ‘It means a lot for us. Thanks for your commitment. It means a lot for me and my country. You are shining the spot light on our country. We are fighting for the future and freedom.’