Harry Kane was publicly praised by former coach Gareth Southgate for adjusting his penalty kicking method after conceding points in the World Cup.

The 55-year-old Southgate led the England team to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and four years later led the team to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Qatar. In the match against France in Doha, Kane scored a penalty kick in the 54th minute to tie Wayne Rooney's Three Lions scoring record of 53 goals. However, in the 83rd minute, he missed the equalizing opportunity by kicking the key penalty kick away - a mistake that still "haunts him" to this day.

Southgate, who once missed a penalty shootout and lost England to Germany in the semi-finals of Euro 1996, understands the captain's pain better than anyone. However, the former England manager appreciates how Kane, 32, has transformed by adapting his penalty technique - the Bayern Munich striker has only missed one penalty since then.

In the subsequent UEFA Nations League match against Italy, Kane scored a penalty kick to become the team's top scorer. Southgate revealed on the eve of the release of his new book "Dear England: Leadership Lessons": "Reading Harry Kane's interview can give you a glimpse of the driving force of top players-both the inner desire to improve and the desire to learn and learn."

"Harry has been one of the best penalty kickers in the world for many years, with a success rate of about 85%. . He will determine the free throw route a few days before the game and solidify his actions through deliberate practice. Until he missed the penalty against France in 2022, everyone thought he had reached his peak. After experiencing what he called the "darkest moment", my duty as the coach is to provide support. "

"Similar experiences may provide reference, but what is really needed is. What is needed is player self-innovation. When we met again, Harry had completed his transformation - he told me that instead of relying on his usual skills, he was studying the technique of "anticipating the goalkeeper", that is, observing the goalkeeper's movement and then choosing the shot route. At this time, he had mastered two techniques, making it more difficult for the goalkeeper to predict. "When we got the penalty in Naples, I had never been so sure that someone was going to score. But surprisingly, he only missed once in 38 attempts (success rate 97%). This is a model of self-improvement."

Southgate has not returned to coaching since the 2024 European Cup final loss to Spain. But the star, who played for Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, still has profound insights into the path to excellence: "The greatest players have inner drive. The key to staying at the top in sport, business or life is to continue to practice excellence." Habit - persist when no one is applauding, and still invest when the rewards are not obvious. In the world of football, it is the unnoticed time on the training field, in the gym, and during the recovery process that ultimately creates outstanding performance on the field.