Harry Kane named England captain for World Cup by boss Gareth Southgate

HARRY KANE has been named the England captain for the World Cup, with Gareth Southgate opting not to wait to speak in person with rival candidate Jordan Henderson.

Tottenham star Kane has been handed the job after the team reported for duty ahead of Russia 2018, which begins next month.

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When he announced his 23 man squad to take to Russia last week, Southgate said he still hadn't decided who would lead his side this summer.

He wanted to get his group together at St George's Park and speak with the players before choosing who would lead the country - but after they linked up yesterday he was quick to plump for Kane.

Southgate said: "He is a meticulous professional and one of the most important things for a captain is that they set the standard every day.

"He has belief and high standards, and it is a great message for the team to have a captain who has shown that it is possible to be one of the best in the world over a consistent period of time.

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“My feeling is that over the last 18 months in the camps that he's been with us he has shown that he has got the desire to take that into a team environment and he recognises the importance of bringing others with him.

“Of course, Harry will need the support of the other good leaders that we have got around him.

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"You don't become a top team by just having a good captain with good values because that has got to spread right throughout the group but I think he is the one who is ready to take that challenge on.”

Southgate made the choice to go with Kane with the other serious candidate Jordan Henderson currently absent from the group.

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Henderson is preparing for Liverpool's Champions League final against Real Madrid this Saturday and will not join up with England until the middle of next week.

There was the chance Southgate would wait until Henderson reported before speaking with all the players concerned, but he has opted to go early and make a quick call.

Kane is a shoe-in for the England side having proven himself one of the best strikers in world football over the past two years.

He has replicated his excellent club form on the international stage, and has 12 goals from 23 appearances for his country.

England squad

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jack Butland (Stoke), Nick Pope (Burnley)

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Man City), Kieran Trippier, Danny Rose (both Tottenham), Harry Maguire (Leicester), Phil Jones (Man Utd), John Stones (Man City), Gary Cahill (Chelsea)

Midfielders: Jordan Henderson, (Liverpool), Eric Dier, Dele Alli (both Tottenham), Jesse Lingard, Ashley Young (both Man Utd), Fabian Delph (Man City), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea)

Forwards: Raheem Sterling (Man City), Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)

Southgate has also named five standby players, who are as follows:

Tom Heaton (Burnley), James Tarkowski (Burnley), Lewis Cook (Bournemouth), Jake Livermore (West Brom) and Adam Lallana (Liverpool)