Harry Kane equals Peter Shilton's England appearance record with 125th cap

Kane reaches 125 England caps, draws level with Shilton

Harry Kane has reached another significant England milestone by equalling Peter Shilton's 36-year-old record as the most-capped Three Lions player.

The Bayern Munich striker made his 125th appearance for the national team against the Czech Republic in the Nations League on Tuesday, having played in all four of England's Nations League games during this international break.

Kane is already his country's record scorer with 89 goals in 124 appearances in a full international career he started by opening his account 79 seconds into his debut.

Shilton congratulates Kane

Goalkeeper Shilton congratulated Kane for equalling his record, writing on social media:

"You will go on and beat it in November I am sure of that, and maybe go on and set a record that may never be beaten. You're still going strong Harry, still playing well and scoring goals. I know how much dedication and hard work you put into achieving this, especially as a striker as I think that is probably the hardest position to play with goalkeeper just behind it. You've been a great captain and will be in the future."

From safe hands to hot-shot striker

BBC Sport takes a look at the origins story of the England captain.

When a six-year-old Harry Kane arrived for trials with Ridgeway Rovers in 1999, the youth side - who a generation earlier had produced David Beckham - thought they had found themselves a new goalkeeper.

Former Ridgeway Rovers coach Dave Bricknell recalled: "We're doing a little shooting session, and I ask for a lad who can go in goal. This little boy puts his hand up and says: 'I'll go in goal.' We give him some gloves, and he performs heroics - makes some fantastic saves. He's tipping it round the post, tipping a couple over the bar. I'm thinking this is great, we've got a goalkeeper. And then this woman came up to me and said he's better on the pitch. We put him on pitch and he smacked goals in left, right and centre. So he ends up being our centre-forward."

Kane's prolific form for Ridgeway Rovers and his Waltham Forest district side caught the attention of professional scouts. Arsenal initially snapped up the youngster but decided not to keep him, while Watford also passed up the opportunity to sign Kane.

Waltham Forest manager Trevor Bailey said: "Harry could have done nothing all game, but if that chance came up it was in the onion bag. He was always on the move up front. When he got a chance, guaranteed four out of five he was going to score or set someone up."

Former Arsenal academy coach Alex Welsh added: "I first met Harry in the academy and he was a very competent goalkeeper, but his real desire was to score goals. I am absolutely convinced that is the reason why he is such a clinical striker - he intuitively knows what the goalkeeper doesn't like. He shoots early when the goalkeeper's not set."

Bricknell added: "I believe he was second top-scorer at Arsenal behind Benik Afobe, and then for some reason they decided at 11 years of age that they didn't want him any more."

The model student

Kane attended Larkswood Primary Academy before moving to Chingford Foundation School, where he was inevitably the star of the football team.

PE teacher Mark Leadon said Kane was a "real team player" and "wasn't one to keep the ball if a pass was on".

Leadon recalled: "Aged 11, Harry was technically very gifted, with a great first touch, and a very clever player. He always knew where to go, right from an early stage. He was also a very good cricketer - he opened the bowling from year seven to 10 and batted at four or five. But he loved football. He was never a prima donna, and he would always put a shift in. What came through more than anything else was his determination to succeed. That work ethic was clear."

Childhood friend and team-mate Luke Robinson said: "The only thing on his mind was football. We used to have a laugh, a couple of games of Fifa, but he was always driven. He'd always keep himself to himself. He loved David Beckham, he came in with the Mohican, everyone was laughing but he loved it. He loved football, 24/7, he lived and breathed football."

Tottenham breakthrough and loan spells

It was Tottenham Hotspur who offered Kane hope after his earlier disappointments. Kane's desire to learn and improve endeared him to the Tottenham academy staff and he signed scholarship terms with the club on his 16th birthday in July 2009.

Former Tottenham youth-team coach Alex Inglethorpe said: "When I joined Spurs as under-18 coach, Harry was 13. I'd like to say he was the gold medallist in the group and we'd all spotted he was going to be the fantastic player, but I'd be lying. He probably wasn't even on the podium. If there was something that endeared him to you it was that he was very, very low maintenance. It became fairly evident when Harry became a scholar he was someone who could finish. He was wonderfully demanding to coach because he always wanted to stay out and do extra. That obsession to improve is undoubtedly his greatest strength."

Kane went to League One Leyton Orient, making his professional debut in January 2011 at Rochdale, coming on for veteran striker Scott McGleish. Kane would score five times in nine starts.

McGleish recalled: "Harry was not like other Premier League players, where you feel they're going to come in 'Billy Big Time'. He wanted the experience of learning what I call men's football. From the word go he was ready to fight for his place. In training, he was willing to just knuckle down and work hard."

After a few first-team games for Spurs, he went on loan in January 2012 to Championship strugglers Millwall. Kane's nine goals helped save Kenny Jackett's side from relegation.

Former Millwall defender Alan Dunne said: "I've seen a lot of players come to the Den and freeze, because within five minutes they're being called names they've never heard before and they can't cope with that pressure. But it didn't faze him - he was a focused lad, he was confident in his ability."

Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood added: "I used to watch Harry a lot at Millwall, and it was an intimidating atmosphere. I remember overhearing one of our scouts come and talk to Harry Redknapp - who was Spurs manager at the time - and say: 'We need to get Harry Kane out of Millwall, it's no good for him there.' I went straight in and said: 'This is the perfect atmosphere for him.'"

After making his Premier League debut for Tottenham in August 2012, Kane was sent on loan again. The 19-year-old only made three appearances in the top flight for Norwich because of injury, and then had a loan spell at Leicester where he and future England team-mate Jamie Vardy struggled for regular starts.