From Kane's Crown to the Bellingham Brothers’ Night: Why England v Croatia Was a PR Gift
Most footballers would settle for having an objectively ‘good’ season. Harry Kane, on the other hand, has just had the kind of fortnight most people would only dream of achieving in their whole career.
It started at the London Palladium on 26 October, where he became the first Englishman to win the Ballon d'Or since Michael Owen in 2001. The congratulations came in from every corner - from David Beckham to Prince William - but it was Kane's own words that landed hardest. He didn't thank a sponsor or a system first. He thanked Kate, his childhood sweetheart, calling her his best friend and saying the award was one they celebrate together, not him alone. Fans loved it, because it sounded exactly like the Kane they know: grounded, grateful, a family man who just so happens to be really, really good at football.
Then came the homecoming. At a sold-out Allianz Arena before Der Klassiker, Kane walked out last, trophy in hand, to a standing ovation from 75,000 Bayern fans, before celebrating on the pitch with his wife, children, parents and brother. And he wasn’t done yet…
On Thursday night, at Wembley, against Croatia, he finished the set. Cap number 126. Peter Shilton's record, which had stood since 1990, finally fell into the hands of someone else. The best player in the world is now also the most-capped man ever to wear the England shirt. And it happened on home soil, making it even more special.
Walking out onto the pitch with wife and children to a huge tifo that read “England’s Finest”, parading round with his Ballon d’Or trophy ahead of the match, and the Prince of Wales presenting him with a special shirt, all before going on to score a penalty and play his role in the England victory - moments don’t get much more special than that.
But that wasn’t the only thing to discuss on the night. The Bellingham brothers grabbed their share of the headlines too, as they so often do.
Jobe earned his first senior call-up this month, joining brother Jude in Thomas Tuchel's squad. On Thursday they might not have shared an England pitch for the first time, but it didn’t detract from the media noise.
It’s a rarer moment than you might think. Around 22 sets of brothers have played for England, but only a handful have lined up in the same team. Frank and Fred Forman of Nottingham Forest did it first, against Ireland in 1899, and both scored. Bobby and Jack Charlton played 28 times together and lifted the World Cup side by side in 1966. Then came Gary and Phil Neville, who first lined up together against China in May 1996 and went on to share 31 England matches, the last of them in 2007. That makes the Bellinghams the first brothers to play together for England in nearly two decades.
Here's the thing for anyone in PR: none of this was a surprise. Kane equalled Shilton in October, so the record was booked for 12 November weeks ago and Jobe's call-up landed on 6 November. A brand with its eye on the calendar had a ready-made moment and one with genuine heart at its centre: family, home, legacy.
This got us thinking of some of the creative thought-starters that could cut through in earned media, interrupt the earned social feeds and celebrate both achievements:
- 126 caps: work with an artist or designer to create a large art installation of an England cap, made up of 126 individual caps - one for each of Harry Kane’s appearances. It could pop up outside Wembley on match day as a photo opportunity, or outside Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, where Kane was born.
- Brothers to Brothers: Capture video content of the Neville brothers meeting the Bellinghams. Gary and Phil Neville interview Jude and Jobe before kick-off: what it's like sharing a dressing room with your brother, who gets the bragging rights, who mum rings first.
- A shirt handed down. The Nevilles present the Bellinghams with retro England shirts from the era they played together. Then put a limited run back on sale, with a brothers' edition for siblings who want to match.
Sports PR is often at the mercy of the final whistle. The biggest moments tend to arrive unannounced, so most of the work can be reactive: spotting the story and moving fast. This week was different. Kane’s record had been pencilled in since October, and Jobe’s call-up landed six days before kick-off. That gave us something rare in this industry: time. A week might not sound like much, but in PR it’s long enough to plan, partner and create something fans care about. Kane and the Bellinghams handed us the story. The brands that stand out will be the ones that used that week to tell it well.
Words by Cherrelle Jefferson Izod, Director