Everything is new for Harry Kane in Munich – not just as a goalscorer on the pitch. The family man dives into a completely different way of life in Bavaria.
Harry Kane’s Lederhosen premiere will have to wait. Little Henry Edward, proud papa’s new fortune, intervened. After the birth of the fourth child, the new Bundesliga top star was still in London at the beginning of the week for understandable reasons.
He was also absent from the traditional lederhosen shoot for a club sponsor shortly before the 188th Oktoberfest, which was on the schedule for the other FC Bayern soccer professionals.
Lederhose, white sausages, beer garden, right-hand traffic – after his spectacular €100 million transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to FC Bayern, England’s team captain is not only experiencing a lot of new things on the pitch. At the age of 30, when he was a footballer, Harry Kane also started a different life together with his wife Katie and their now four children in the Bavarian capital.
New country, different life
“The experience of a new country, a new league. That was always my goal. I’m open to a new culture. That’s part of the journey and the experience,” said Kane about the great upheaval in his vita.
He tackles the adventure with no prior experience. He spent his whole life – also in sports – in England. “It’s my first big transfer that I’ve been involved in,” he said at his presentation in Munich. The hype surrounding him, the enormous affection of the fans, the interest in everything he does, also as a private person, overwhelmed him. Kane has been very open to everything so far. He allows fan proximity. He turns out to be a full professional.
“Harry is a great person, very open,” said Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel after just a few days. He calls Kane a personality. “It’s a new club for him, too, a new country, a new culture. Everything is new to him. I’ve seen a lot of different players going through changes. It takes time. But I’m hopeful that Harry is a type of player who will adapt quickly.”
Kane looking forward to Bavarian costume
In the stadium, in the game, when scoring goals and winning, this seems to work quickly. That would certainly contribute to a feel-good climate for the Kanes in Munich. He was already looking forward to seeing what he would look like in Bavarian costume, said the striker on the subject of lederhosen. On September 16th, the day after Bayern’s home game against Bayer Leverkusen, the world’s biggest folk festival starts in Munich. A visit to the marquee by the Bayern stars in lederhosen and brogues is part of the Oktoberfest programme.
On Wednesday, Kane also expected the new company car to be handed over by Bavaria’s automobile sponsor. Even the driver Kane has to change from English left-hand traffic to German right-hand traffic. After his debut goal in the Bayern jersey in the 4-0 win in Bremen, Kane admitted that he “first had to get used to” changing sides of the road. After arriving in Munich, a driver took him everywhere.
family support
Kane is privately considered a family man. This is not only proven by the four children after Ivy (6), Vivienne (5) and Louis (2). Together with his childhood sweetheart Katie Goodland, whom he married in 2019, he gives his fans a glimpse into private life via social media. “Welcome to the world Henry Edward Kane. Love you my boy,” he captioned a photo on Instagram posted a day after the birth, showing him with the youngest Kane offspring.
At his presentation as a newcomer to Bayern, his loved ones were all around him. In addition to wife Katie, father Pat, mother Kim and brother Charlie were also present in the Allianz Arena auditorium. “My family supported me completely,” said Kane about the long-lasting change of club. His wife in particular always wanted “the best” for him and for his football career. “We made this decision together.”
Kane wants to learn German
“Never before has a player brought so many family members,” joked Bayern boss Jan-Christian Dreesen, who sat proudly at Kane’s side on the podium. “Harry was always our dream player. Munich is looking forward to Harry,” enthused the CEO.
Kane greeted him with a hearty “Servus”. Otherwise he spoke English. “Of course I’m trying to learn the German language.” He wants to take German lessons once or twice a week: “It’s a difficult language.” Fortunately, there are “a lot of English-speaking players on the team, including the coaching team,” said Kane.
The passionate hobby golfer has already arranged a course with his teammate Thomas Müller. And he wants to explore Munich intensively when he has really arrived with his family. “I’ll find time to go out to eat or to a café,” he said.