Harry Kane is already one of the top soccer players in the sport. The Tottenham Hotspur forward has won the last two Golden Boot awards, given to the top goal scorer in the FIFA World Cup international cup competition.
But despite being just 24 years old, Kane has his eyes on a different type of boot – a football cleat.
The Hotspurs took a trip to New York this summer for the International Champions Cup, and Kane got a few kicks in at the Giants' practice facility. Turns out his leg is useful for football, too. He eventually nailed some 50-yarders with ease:
https://twitter.com/HKane/status/889575732514574338
Kane, a noted NFL fan, has expressed a desire to play in the league once his soccer career is over. It's not too far-fetched to think he can pull it off, either. And it would be a great way to earn a ton of extra money, as we'll see below.
Kane just signed a new deal this offseason that pays him about $116,000 a week. However, the intensity of the soccer pitch may limit Kane to just one more big contract after this one. It's doubtful he'll keep playing far beyond his mid-thirties – but he could still have several more productive years on the football field.
After all, 18 kickers have played past the age of 40. George Blanda played until he was 48. Morten Andersen kicked until he was 47. Adam Vinatieri is still a starting kicker for the Colts at 44. Kane could still get a solid five to ten years out of his leg, and he'd likely be in much better shape thanks to his soccer background.
Only one kicker – Chris Boswell, who you may remember as the player delivering the worst onside kick ever – is making less than $900,000 per year. All but five are making more than a million dollars, and the top kickers have contracts averaging out to more than $4 million per year. Not too shabby to spend the majority of the game on the sideline.
If Kane's ability to kick a field goal is any indication, he could have a solid second career in the NFL, especially if the league expands to London. It's still far off, but Kane could potentially start a new wave of former soccer players lengthening their careers by becoming football kickers.
