England’s Euro 2024 captain Harry Kane reveals he secretly took up chess after being inspired by Netflix drama
THREE Lions’ goalscoring grandmaster Harry Kane has told how he loves playing chess – as the Euros finally get underway tonight.
England have another 48 nerve-jangling hours to wait before their opening match against Serbia on Sunday.
Skipper Harry, 30, and the rest of Gareth Southgate’s lads were put through their paces in training yesterday at their HQ in Blankenhain.
And England’s record scorer could be plotting some cunning moves off the pitch as well — after revealing his new-found love for chess.
He said: “I use chess just to switch off, you know, it’s such a mental game.
“You have to focus on every moment, every move.”
Harry said he was inspired a couple of years ago by Netflix drama The Queen’s Gambit, and has been pitting his wits against some of his Bayern Munich team-mates.
He went on: “Joshua Kimmich – we had quite a few games. I think Kingsley Coman is the best, but I haven’t actually played him yet. I’m trying to get a bit more practice in before I play ‘King’.”
However the married father of four told GQ Germany that golf was his favourite way to switch off from “all the stress and nerves that come with football”.
Jack Wilshere's England XI vs Serbia
SunSport columnist Jack Wilshere wants Engand to start with just one holding midfielder - Declan Rice.
That means playing Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham in attacking midfield roles, with Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka on the wings, either side of Harry Kane up top.
Wilshere said: “In the group stage against teams we should beat, we can afford to be more expansive, let’s attack.
“It wasn’t that long ago we were saying we didn’t have the Spanish-type of players who can dominate the ball, now we have.
“So let’s try to utilise that, dominate the ball and go for goals.”
And the ex-England midfielder wants Trent Alexander-Arnold to get the nod at right-back, with Kyle Walker centre-back.
He added: “If you play Trent at right-back and he drifts in midfield, he can switch the play at speed. Walker’s pace will get you out of trouble.”
Read more from Jack Wilshere during Euro 2024.
He should hopefully be properly relaxed as the squad are staying in a luxury golf resort as they prepare for their opener in Gelsenkirchen.
With an estimated half a million Three Lions fans tipped to head to Germany, the former Spurs star ranked England and France as the favourites to win the tournament — as well as the hosts.
He said: “It being a home tournament, I think that always makes it a little bit more special for your country to go and perform. So I’m definitely not ruling Germany out.”
They open the Euros tonight with a mouthwatering clash against Scotland, with 10,000 Tartan Army fans expected in Munich’s 66,000-capacity Allianz Arena.
Some 200,000 Scots are estimated to head over to Germany, hoping to see their side progress to the knock-out stage of a major tournament for the first time.
In total 12 million supporters will pour into fan zones across the country for 51 matches in 31 days, including a vast one next to the iconic Brandenburg Gate in Berlin which can host 130,000 people.
Demand has been sky-high with every game sold out — after Uefa received a staggering 52million requests for 2.7million tickets.
However, away from the action authorities warn of a heightened risk of terrorists targeting the tournament.
A vast security operation will be coordinated from a brand-new nerve centre in Neuss, near Cologne.
More than 600 officers are based in the “International Police Cooperation Centre”, overseeing the 22,000 cops on duty every day.
Flight restrictions will be imposed over every stadium on matchdays, with a hi-tech aerial defence system capable of bringing down drones.
Germany’s Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser said: “The police will have a high presence at all venues and everywhere there are large numbers of people.
“The federal police will protect the German borders, airports and rail traffic where national teams and fans move.”
Yesterday the supporters were simply focused on having a good time and, for Three Lions supporters at least, dreaming of victory.
Student Harry Todd, 20, of South Shields, was confident of getting to the final in Berlin on July 14, and winning it.
He said: “I have a good feeling this time.
“I really think we can do it.”
Their Scottish counterparts had lower expectations as they partied in Munich before tonight’s match, seemingly vastly outnumbering the hosts.
Finance worker Blair Mckenzie, 47, of Edinburgh, one of the lucky ones with a ticket, said: “I am hopeful, but not confident.
“We’ll enjoy ourselves whatever happens.
“The Tartan Army are entertaining people today but this is nothing.
“We haven’t got going yet.”
Birgit Moehl, 58, one of the few in German colours, said: “We haven’t been very good for a few years but I think we’ll win this tournament.
“We’ve loved watching the Scotland fans – they know how to party.”