José Mourinho’s initial meeting with Harry Kane at Tottenham has resurfaced following the striker’s 2026 Ballon d’Or triumph, giving their conversation about his ambitions a fresh significance.
Filmed for Amazon’s All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur, the exchange took place shortly after Mourinho’s appointment in 2019. The Portuguese coach told Kane he already saw him as a winner, but believed his standing outside England could grow further.
“The world looks to English football with an incredible respect,
but they still think the movie stars of football belong to other places,” Mourinho said.
He wanted to help Kane reach that level. Pointing to his own international profile, Mourinho suggested their partnership could give the striker’s reputation another lift, finishing his explanation with a gesture suggesting an explosion.
Kane needed little convincing. He told Mourinho he wanted to reach the level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, having already helped Tottenham compete near the top. Mourinho shared that ambition, insisting he could not accept being at a club without winning anything.
Their time together at Spurs ended without a trophy. But Kane’s subsequent rise has brought renewed attention to the conversation, particularly after he named Mourinho among the coaches he thanked in his acceptance speech.
