NEVER before has Harry Kane looked so comfortable in his own skin — and spoken so freely.
The England captain, looking to get his country off to a flyer against Serbia at the home of Schalke, believes he is finally commanding respect from around the world.
He talks about being surrounded by “an aura” and is clearly going into a fifth major international tournament with supreme confidence.
While Kane, 30, might still be searching for a first trophy, leaving Tottenham was a wise decision in terms of his drive to become a proper superstar.
That is what happens when you play for a club like Bayern Munich and bang in 44 goals in your first season.
The fact that Bayern suffered a car crash season has not stopped Kane’s fame from rocketing.
You only have to witness the crowd reaction each time he steps off a bus in this country to realise that, maybe with the exception of Cristiano Ronaldo, he will be the most popular non-German at Euro 2024.
Asked how different he feels now compared to the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, Kane remarked: “I’d say, from an outside point of view, that I’m probably respected more as one of the top strikers in the world.
“When you’re at a club like Bayern Munich, that comes if you have a great season. Similar to Real Madrid, Barcelona and all the top, top clubs.
“So from that point of view, maybe I have a different kind of aura.
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“But personally, nothing’s really changed in how I prepare, how I go into games. My confidence is still the same as it was throughout my career.
“Maybe from an outside point of view, you get looked at in a different light. Which is good for me, because it raises my profile and helps me to really compete to be one of the best players in the world.
“So that’s probably the biggest difference I’ve found.
“The support I have had ever since I arrived in Germany has been incredible. Even going to away games in the Bundesliga, the support I get from opposition fans is at an amazing level. It has made me feel really appreciated.
“I spent my whole career in the Premier League and there were a lot of Tottenham fans who enjoyed my work. But it’s been nice to show what I can do on a European level.
“I played in the Champions League but to do it in another league, in front of another set of fans in a different country, has helped me as a player and helped my profile.
“Playing against different teams with different tactics has helped me.
“The teams we play against are a bit more open and the space is in behind on transition. It’s just helped me evolve in my understanding of football and how different teams work.
“Here, it is going to be a tournament I should enjoy, because I’m going to have support not only from the England fans but from the Germany fans, which I’ll really appreciate.
“Hopefully that will build my confidence and give me even more motivation.”
Much is expected here of Jude Bellingham, who has enjoyed a brilliant first season at Real Madrid. But this will be his first major tournament where so much is expected of him.
He should deal with it — but we cannot be entirely sure.
Kane, though, is featuring in his fifth major tournament and that knowhow is vital.
He admitted: “Experience is important. We try to create an environment with all the players where we’re in our own little bubble.
“We know there’s going to be pressure from the fans but we try to create a togetherness that means we don’t let that affect us.
“First and foremost, it’s about qualifying from the group, however you do it.
“Three wins out of three would be perfect but also we know if we drop some points here and there, the most important thing is getting through — because at this stage that’s all that matters.”
Despite three good tournament showings under Gareth Southgate, Kane admits near misses are no longer good enough.
He added: “We have spoken a lot about having a great tournament and it doesn’t always mean that you win the tournament.
“We’re all at that stage now where, yes, we want to have a great tournament — but we want to make everyone proud. We want to win.”