England captain Harry Kane struggled to hold back tears after receiving heartfelt letters from his four children following his record-breaking appearance for the national team.
The 33-year-old was presented with the touching messages the morning after earning his 126th England cap during Thursday night’s 2-1 victory over Croatia at Wembley.
Kane, who also scored in the match, was visibly surprised when shown the handwritten letters and artwork from his children, Ivy, nine, Vivi, eight, Louis, five, and Henry, three, whom he shares with his wife, Kate.
Reacting to the unexpected gesture, the Bayern Munich striker said: “Wow, that’s uh a bit of a surprise. I think you guys are trying to make me cry on camera.”
Ivy Praises Her Father for His Football and Parenting
Kane began by reading a letter from his eldest daughter, Ivy, who expressed her love and admiration for him.
The message read: “To Daddy, I love you very much and I want you to know that I’m very proud of you and also you are the best footballer in the world, the most kind Daddy in the world and the best striker in the world.
“I would like to celebrate you playing the most games for England by holiday together and eating ice cream.
“My favorite thing about you is you never give up and I love all things you do for us. Love Ivy.”
Clearly moved by the message, Kane thanked his daughter and admitted he had not anticipated such an emotional surprise.
“I wasn’t expecting this beautiful letter. Thank you Ivy. I love you,” he said before moving on to the next message.
Vivi Reveals Her Favourite Things About Her Father
The England captain then read a letter from his second daughter, Vivi, who highlighted his hard work and his cooking skills.
Her message said: “Dear Daddy, I’m so happy and proud of you. I love you because you are hard working and make the best fried eggs.
“I want to celebrate with you by going fishing, going down the water slides and having a cinema trip as well. Love from Vivi.”
Kane appeared increasingly emotional as he responded to the message.
“Yeah, you’ve caught me by surprise here, to be honest with you.
I’m trying to just, uh, stay strong for the camera. Thank you Vivi, love you,” he said.
Louis Wants to Celebrate With an Ice Cream House
Kane’s five-year-old son, Louis, also shared a message celebrating his father’s dedication to football and the time they spend together.
His letter read: “To Daddy, I love you so much because you train and work so hard.
My favorite thing we do together is play football and cricket together.
“I love when you play England football because you score goals and we get to sing Vindaloo.
I want to celebrate with you by making an ice cream house with sweets inside. Love Louis.”
After reading the message, Kane thanked his son before introducing the final letter.
“Thank you Louie, love you, boy. This last one is from Henry,” he said.
Youngest Son Henry Sends Short but Sweet Message
The final message came from three-year-old Henry, whose brief note included a reference to the popular England football chant, Vindaloo.
It read: “Daddy, you are the winner. Vindaloo! Love Henry.”
Kane then showed the camera the drawing that accompanied the message, expressing his appreciation for the gesture.
“He’s drawn me a lovely picture there. Love you, Henry.
Thank you, beautiful messages from my wonderful family,” he said.
Kane Celebrates Historic England Achievement With Family at Wembley
The emotional family moment followed a special evening at Wembley, where Kane celebrated becoming England’s all-time record appearance-maker.
He surpassed former goalkeeper Peter Shilton’s record by making his 126th appearance for the Three Lions against Croatia.
Kane was accompanied by his wife, children and parents for the occasion.
He walked onto the pitch with his four children before being honoured in front of the Wembley crowd.
The striker also admired a giant tifo dedicated to him, posed for photographs with his Ballon d’Or trophy and received a commemorative framed England shirt from Prince William.
The shirt featured the number 126 on its back in recognition of his new national team record.
Kane Dedicates Ballon d’Or Achievement to His Children
Kane previously spoke about the importance of his family during last month’s Ballon d’Or ceremony, where he dedicated part of his speech to his four children.
Addressing Ivy, Vivienne, Louis and Henry, he said: “You’re the reason I do this.”
He added that he hoped they would appreciate the significance of bringing the trophy home and promised to celebrate the achievement with them.
Kane also spoke about his desire to set a positive example for his children through his career and personal conduct.
“I want to set a good example being a father but also being a professional and what it means to work hard, what it means to believe in yourself. I love you very much,” he said.
Kane Takes England Goal Tally to 92
Alongside setting a new appearance record, Kane extended his England goalscoring tally to 92 during the victory over Croatia.
His penalty gave England a 2-1 lead, which they maintained until the final whistle.
The striker, who recently signed a new contract worth a reported £400,000 per week at Bayern Munich, lives in Bavaria with his family.
He is scheduled to return to action for England on Sunday when the Three Lions face Spain.
