Heartwarming moment young Harry Kane, 11, met his England hero David Beckham


As Harry Kane leads England's World Cup hopes, take a look back at the sweet moment an 11-year-old Harry met then-England captain David Beckham


Harry Kane and David Beckham holding a red cap, smiling for the camera.© Getty
Sharnaz Shahid
Sharnaz ShahidDeputy Online Editor
Updated: July 15, 2026
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This is the heartwarming picture which shows current England captain, Harry Kane, meeting former England captain, Sir David Beckham, before he became a renowned national footballer. When Harry was 11 years old, he and a female school friend - who coincidentally is his childhood sweetheart and the mother of his children - were some of the lucky kids who got to meet the sporting legend at the David Beckham Football Academy launch at London's Buoy Wharf in 2005.

Little did the trio know back then that Harry would follow in David's footsteps by leading the Three Lions in the World Cup.

Fast forward 21 years, Harry is now married to his school pal, Katie Goodland, with whom he shares four children. 

When Harry Kane met future wife Katie

The pair were pupils at Chingford Foundation School, the same school which David attended as a child. Their friendship blossomed into a relationship, and they became engaged last year while on holiday in the Bahamas.

harry kane david beckham 2005© Photo: Getty Images
Harry Kane and Kate Goodland with David Beckham in 2005

The couple are known for keeping their family life out of the spotlight and rarely share photographs of their children. They welcomed their eldest daughter, Ivy Jane, in 2018, followed by their second daughter, Vivienne. Their family later grew with the arrival of two sons, Louis and Henry.

In 2017, Harry revealed how lucky he was to have found his childhood sweetheart. "If I was single now and meeting people, you'd never know if they were with you for the right reasons," he said via Evening Standard.

Harry Kane and his wife Kate wearing England outfits © Instagram
The couple were pupils at Chingford Foundation School

"Is it the money? You'd never really know. So I'm lucky that I've got a childhood sweetheart. She always wanted to do her own thing. She went to university and worked hard. I have a great family, they keep me grounded and they’ve worked just as hard as me to get me where I am."

He added: "It's really important you have close family and friends who you can talk to when things aren't going well, or when you’re enjoying the moment when things are going well."

Following his proposal, the Spurs striker said: "When I was in school she was my friend. We always spoke, but just got closer and closer and it went from there. She's seen my whole career. Of course she's finding it a little crazy."

Respect for Sir David Beckham

David was honoured with his official England legacy cap earlier this month during an emotional surprise presentation led by current captain Harry.

Former England player David Beckham poses for a photograph with Harry Kane after being presented with his legacy cap© Getty
Former England player David Beckham poses for a photograph with Harry Kane after being presented with his legacy cap

England had travelled to Florida from their Kansas City base following a dramatic 3-2 last-16 victory over Mexico, using the world-class facilities at David's MLS club, Inter Miami, for their final training session before securing a 2-1 win against Norway on Saturday.

During the visit, Harry presented David with his legacy cap in front of the entire England squad. The moment was particularly poignant as Harry, who has now surpassed David's 115 England appearances, paid tribute to one of the country's most iconic captains.

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"You were a big role model for me, a big inspiration," Harry told David. "Every time you wore the England shirt, you showed desire, you showed passion, you showed what it's like to lead your country. You're one of England's all-time greats, so it's an honour for me to present this to you."

David captained England 59 times during an international career that spanned 13 years and included five major tournaments. While he retired from international football in 2009, his connection to the national team remains as strong as ever.

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