Bone Broth, No Sweets and Acupuncture: Inside Harry Kane’s Road to a Record England Cap

Harry Kane is about to rewrite England history. On Thursday night at Wembley, the captain makes his 126th appearance against Croatia and overtakes Peter Shilton as the most capped men’s player in the country’s history. Behind the milestone sits a remarkable story of obsession and sacrifice.

The Haribo Habit That Had to Go

Kane once had a dirty little secret: a bag of sweets after matches. ‘I do like a Haribo,’ he admitted after the Nations League win in Prague.

No more. At the start of last season, the 33-year-old cut them out. He felt sharper, sprinted more and made more accelerations.

Data from Gradient Sports shows his sprints and accelerations per 90 minutes for Bayern Munich rose significantly on 2024-25. They have improved again this season. Kane says the process became ‘addictive’.

A Health Regime Built on Detail

The sweets ban is the latest step on a dietary journey that began more than a decade ago. Kane started working with nutritional specialist Dan Sargeant, who analyses everything from bone broths to the white bits on oranges.

Kane no longer works directly with Sargeant since his move from Tottenham to Bayern in 2023. He has a different chef in Munich but still follows the advice.

He is teetotal in season, with the Ballon d’Or celebrations the rare exception. Ice baths, infrared saunas and quality sleep all form part of his recovery routine.

The Acupuncture Connection

Less well known is Kane’s bond with private doctor Alejandro Elorriaga Claraco, a specialist in electrical neurofunctional acupuncture. Kane first saw him on a recommendation from golfer Justin Rose after a severe hamstring tear in 2020.

Claraco is based in Canada but spends at least a week every month with Kane. He treats him for four to five hours a day, using needles hooked up to a small battery to get the muscles firing.

The Numbers Behind the Milestone

Kane’s England career began with a goal 79 seconds after coming on for Wayne Rooney against Lithuania in 2015. Since then, the numbers have been staggering.

Only Cristiano Ronaldo (25) and Kylian Mbappé (23) have more combined World Cup and European Championship goals among European players. Only David Beckham (39) has more England assists than Kane and Steven Gerrard.

Big Moments, Heavy Pressure

Kane’s favourites include the Lithuania debut goal, the last-gasp winner against Tunisia at the 2018 World Cup and the clincher against Germany at Euro 2020. He also rates his two-goal display against Ukraine in that tournament’s quarter-final.

More recently, two goals saved the day against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the World Cup last 32.

Penalties and Pain

His penalties have defined much of his story. The conversions against the Netherlands at Euro 2024 and Mexico at the last World Cup came under immense pressure.

The miss against France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final remains the scar that never heals. Kane has said the semi-final exit against Argentina last summer was worse.

The Boy Who Was Doubted

Kane was never a wonderkid. He had difficult loan spells at Norwich and Leicester, and he was tagged a one-season wonder after 2014-15. He has been a wonder in every season since.

Former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp recalls a behind-closed-doors game against Birmingham when Kane scored four goals. Arsenal, watching defender Scott Dann, decided against signing him.

‘We always felt Harry was going to be a player,’ Redknapp said. ‘No one could come here now and say we knew he was going to be England’s all-time record caps holder, record scorer and Ballon d’Or winner. Anyone who says that is talking rubbish.’

A Ballon d’Or Moment

Kane’s Ballon d’Or acceptance speech tugged at the heartstrings. His voice wobbled as he paid tribute to his mother Kim and father Pat. Former teammate Son Heung-min, now at Los Angeles FC, reportedly ran off in a goal-celebration style when he heard the news.

How Far Can Kane Go?

Nobody knows when it will end. Two things are clear, though. Kane is equipped to keep pushing for years, and doubting him is no longer reasonable.

On Thursday, a boyhood England fan becomes the most capped men’s player the country has ever had.