Tuchel delighted to celebrate ‘incredible achievements’ of Kane

Thomas Tuchel heaped praise on “extraordinary” Harry Kane as the England captain prepares to move clear as the nation’s most-capped player fresh from winning the Ballon d’Or.

The 33-year-old last week received the prestigious award having scored a remarkable 73 goals in a campaign that saw win the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich and World Cup bronze.

England’s first Ballon d’Or winner since Michael Owen in 2001 will be celebrated before next Thursday’s Nations League match against Croatia at Wembley, where Kane will break the senior men’s appearance record having joined Peter Shilton on 125 caps last month.

England boss Tuchel said: “It’s just an incredible achievement that these two occasions come together in one, and that we are able to witness this in person.

“He wins the Ballon d’Or, and deservedly so, and in the next game for England he gets the all-time record with 126 matches.

“It’s just incredible achievements, just underlines his professional status and his demeanour and his attitude.

“He’s our captain and cannot find a better frame and a better match-up to celebrate him, his achievement.

“And then, let’s not forget, it’s an important match for us, it’s a crucial match for us.

“We are desperate to win this match and to have a final in Spain after, but the focus is on the Croatia match, and it will be a deserved frame and a deserved occasion to celebrate an extraordinary player.”