The Sunderland striker played with Kane at Tottenham Hotspur.
In an interview with Sunderland’s official website on Thursday, Jermain Defoe explained how he once came into contact with a young Harry Kane while at Tottenham Hotspur.
Defoe, whose response to being asked what he best remembers about Spurs was ‘143 goals’, left White Hart Lane for a second time in 2014 to sign for Toronto FC.
And it was his departure which prompted Kane’s first real run in the Tottenham first team towards the end of that campaign.
The following season saw the 23-year-old’s career explode into life with 31 goals, establishing him as Defoe’s heir. But goalscoring isn’t the only trait shared by the pair, with Kane having worn the Sunderland man’s old number 18 shirt in between stints at number 37 and 10.
Kane wins the 2015/16 Barclays Golden Boot Award, scoring 25 goals.
And, as revealed by Defoe, their relationship stretches back further than many were aware.
“He (Kane) said that there was a time when he was with his mates, around his area, and I remember driving through,” the 33-year-old told Sunderland’s official website.
“I think it was in Leytonstone – and I just saw these kids playing five-a-side. I was with my mate and I said: ‘let’s just stop, let’s get involved’ and we just stopped.
“I said: ‘listen, I wanna play, let’s do it proper. If you wanna kick me, kick me, no problem. Let’s just play.’ And they was like: ‘Okay, cool’ – all Spurs fans.
Defoe and Peter Crouch as Tottenham players in 2010
“After a while I just got back in my car and went. Years later Harry said: ‘you know what, I was one of those kids.’
“When I left the club he came up to me and said: ‘I want the 18 shirt,’ and I said: ‘yeah, take it.’ To be fair, if I was going to give it to anyone I’d give it to him because he’s a natural goalscorer.”
Defoe returns to White Hart Lane with Sunderland on Sunday, with the second-bottom Black Cats still in search of their first league win.
Spurs, on the other hand, go into the weekend seven points above their opponents in fifth.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
