Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane will face off for a spot in this season’s Champions League final, but there’s no doubting the love between them.
Real Madrid face Bayern Munich in the final four of Europe’s top competition with both players keen to win the Champions League for the first time in their career.
Bellingham, who is at the beginning of what should be a glittering career, will be desperate to win such a prestigious prize so early in his career.
For Kane, there’s a feeling that this could be among his last opportunities to win the biggest prize.
While Tottenham and England’s all-time top goalscorer will go down in history as one of English football’s top strikers, it’s his lack of silverware which often dominates headlines.
Before moving to Bayern, Kane had opportunities to win both the Premier League and Champions League with Tottenham, but couldn’t get them over the line.
Just over a year ago he also had dreams of leading England to glory at the World Cup, a dream that turned into a nightmare in their quarter final clash with France.
Despite already scoring a penalty, Kane had a second opportunity to score from the spot to draw the game level at 2-2.
Unfortunately, the then-Tottenham star skied his penalty, landing a huge dent in England’s hopes of progressing.
Bellingham was only 19 at the time, but showed his maturity by immediately approaching Kane and giving him a pep talk to try and get England’s skipper back in the right frame of mind.
Speaking after the game, Bellingham revealed what he said to the nation’s talisman.
He said: “As the leader of the team – which he is with the media, on the pitch and off the pitch – I felt it was important that I just kept him in the game mentally.
“For me, I can’t thank him enough for how much he’s integrated me into the team.
“I’ve seen him deliver time and time again since I’ve been in the England set-up and on this occasion, he didn’t score but I think that he’s done more than enough for this team and his country.
“In that moment, I just wanted to remind him that he can still win us this game.
“It wasn’t to be in the end, but for me there’s no feeling towards the captain that’s negative after all he’s done for this country.”
That respect has been clear for all to see in the time since with Kane and Bellingham among England’s most integral stars.
While the duo will be desperate to guide England to glory at Euro 2024 this summer, their focus will firstly be on the Champions League semi-final clash with both men desperate to progress to the final.
Both stars will have a huge hand in their side’s hopes of advancing, but while they’ll be competitors and rivals for 180 minutes over the two legs, it will take more than a Champions League final spot to undo the undoubted respect between them.
Speaking about the clash, Kane said: “Jude has had a fantastic season, he’s a top player, so I’m really happy for him.
“But it will be another war against his team but these are the experiences that we both went abroad to try to achieve.
“To play in these big nights in the Champions League, to play in these big semi-finals.
“It will be one to enjoy and I’m sure there will be a lot of English fans watching both of us. We have to focus on ourselves. I’ll say hello but once we’re on the pitch, it’s business.”