Jude Bellingham has hailed Harry Kane as “the greatest player that has ever played for England” after the captain matched Peter Shilton’s appearance record in a memorable Wembley win.
Kane earned his 125th cap as England beat Czech Republic 3-0 in the Nations League on Tuesday.
The striker celebrated the milestone with two goals and an assist, taking his England tally to 91.
He is set to move clear of Shilton as the men’s team’s most-capped player in November.
Bellingham was quick to praise his captain after England’s latest victory, saying Kane’s achievements came through hard work and a level of professionalism younger players could learn from.
“Nothing he ever does surprises me anymore, really. Such an amazing role model, such an amazing guy, and I am honoured to share the pitch with him,” he said.
“Like I said before, everything he gets, he deserves. He works so hard for it, and he’s a very honest guy.”
Kane’s contribution against Czech Republic was about more than the goals, Bellingham added, pointing to the significance of his record-equalling appearance.
Jude Bellingham has hailed Harry Kane as “the greatest player that has ever played for England” after the captain matched Peter Shilton’s appearance record in a memorable Wembley win
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“I know he got two goals today, but the biggest thing is equalling Peter Shilton’s record,” the Real Madrid star continued.
“For me, he is the greatest player that has ever played for England, he is an amazing role model, a great human being and you learn from him every day.”
The youngster has also enjoyed an impressive international camp, following his strong form at the World Cup.
At 23, he is already one of England’s key figures, but he made clear how much he values the example set by Kane.
Harry Kane continues to lead by example with the England icon in a league of his own | GETTY
The pair are part of an increasingly exciting attacking group, with Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon also featuring in England’s forward line.
Morgan Rogers has added another option after stepping into the squad, giving Thomas Tuchel several combinations to consider.
England won three of their four matches during the international window, beating Czech Republic twice and Croatia by an aggregate score of 12-0.
Their only defeat came against Spain, when they pushed the world champions close in a 3-2 loss.
Jude Bellingham enjoyed the longer international break with England winning three of their four matches
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The four-game camp drew criticism from some quarters, but Bellingham believes spending more time together helped the squad build understanding on and off the pitch.
“I think with the longer camp, we have a chance to gel and bond and spend more time with each other,” he admitted.
“I think eventually it shows on the pitch. Sometimes it’s tough when there are only two games to really get into a flow, where you find it and split up again.
“It’s been nice. Really, really good.”
