Today, Gillette Stadium isn't just the house that Tom Brady built—it's the stage for a massive fanboy moment. England's star striker Harry Kane, who has never hidden his admiration for the seven-time Super Bowl champion, will finally get to lace up his boots on the same turf where Brady orchestrated countless NFL miracles. And you can bet the soccer star is buzzing.
In a recent interview with The Athletic, Kane opened up about his NFL fandom, revealing that it all started with Brady. “It was mainly the NFL that I got into at quite a young age,” Kane said. “And mainly because of Tom Brady. My love for that started from him.”
Kane, widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, sees a reflection of his own career in Brady's journey. “Seeing the way he went about his business, his journey from the start—when people didn't expect much from him—to go on and be the greatest ever player in his sport is maybe reminiscent of me earlier in my career,” he explained. “Having people doubt me and working hard enough to turn that around.”
That parallel is hard to ignore. Both men were underestimated early on—Brady a sixth-round draft pick, Kane a youngster released by Arsenal before making it big at Tottenham. Both went on to shatter records. Kane, now at Bayern Munich, recently scored twice against Croatia to become England's all-time leading scorer. But even with all that glory, he admits that playing at Gillette Stadium holds a special thrill.
“That is probably the one I am excited to go to,” Kane said of today's match against Ghana. “That one will be pretty cool.”
Kane's love for the NFL runs deep. During his time at Tottenham, he even ran a fantasy football league for teammates and staff—acting as the self-appointed commissioner. And he's been known to talk, half-jokingly but with real seriousness, about one day switching sports to become an NFL kicker. While that dream might be years away, today he'll settle for soaking in the atmosphere of Brady's old stomping grounds.
The timing couldn't be better. England faces Ghana with a chance to lock up the top spot in their World Cup group, and the Three Lions will have a passionate crowd behind them. Kane's longtime partner Katie Goodland has been by his side through it all, and you can bet she'll be cheering him on from the stands.
Of course, not everyone is having a good week. Gisele Bündchen faced backlash for a Father's Day post that snubbed Brady, but the NFL legend has plenty of support from fans who rallied around him. Kane, for his part, is just focused on the pitch. At 32, he's coming off a career-high 61 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich and shows no signs of slowing down.
So as Kane steps onto the Gillette Stadium field, he'll be walking in the footsteps of his idol. And who knows? Maybe one day, he'll be back on that same turf—not as a soccer star, but as a kicker. For now, though, he's just a kid from London living out a fanboy's dream on one of America's most hallowed grounds.
