Mourinho Backs Kane’s Trophy Quest and Portugal’s Euro Chances
Jose Mourinho believes Harry Kane would have secured a trophy if he hadn’t been sacked by Tottenham just days before the 2021 Carabao Cup final. Kane, who captained Mourinho’s Spurs side during his 17-month tenure, has yet to win a major trophy despite an illustrious career filled with individual accolades.
Kane’s Near Misses
Kane, now at Bayern Munich, continues to chase silverware. Reflecting on his time with the striker, Mourinho, now managing Fenerbahce, stated: “The only thing he is missing is to win a trophy. He was my player at Tottenham, and I was going to win one with him, but I was sacked six days before the final.”
Mourinho led Tottenham to the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, only to be dismissed less than a week before the Wembley showdown. Kane has since played under several top managers but has yet to add team trophies to his extensive list of personal achievements.
Mourinho’s Praise for Kane
Despite the lack of silverware, Mourinho praised Kane’s all-around game. “Kane has scored goals for Tottenham, and I had no doubts that he would score goals for Bayern. Harry is a fantastic, complete player who scores goals from all over the pitch but isn’t selfish – he assists, drops deep, builds play, presses, defends,” Mourinho said in his role as a Global Ambassador for Topps, ahead of Euro 2024.
Euro 2024 Hopes
Kane aims to break his trophy drought this summer as he leads England into Euro 2024 in Germany. The Three Lions are seeking redemption after their narrow loss to Italy in the final of Euro 2020.
Portugal’s Prospects
Mourinho is optimistic about Portugal’s chances, touting the current squad as possibly the best the nation has ever produced. “I don’t want to be disrespectful about previous generations that we had, but in terms of squad depth and quality, we are probably now the best we have ever been and Portugal can go on to win it,” he asserted.
He acknowledged the stiff competition from other top nations but emphasized Portugal’s potential. “It’s about having confidence, self-belief that they can beat anyone. I don’t want to say Portugal are the best team, but Spain, France, England, and Germany are not better.”
Key Contenders for Euro 2024
Mourinho identified France, Germany, Portugal, and England as the main contenders for the European Championship, while considering Italy and Belgium as potential surprises. “If there is a surprise, I will be surprised! France and Germany always do well. Portugal and England are better than ever. These four teams. I’m not certain about Spain but the football they play and the players they have are of the highest quality,” he concluded.
As Euro 2024 approaches, Kane will be eager to lead England to glory, while Mourinho remains hopeful for his home country, Portugal.
