Harry Kane eyes bigger prizes, bigger house amid scoring spree

Harry Kane's relentless goal-scoring exploits are causing some issues at home.

Like where the Tottenham striker stores his growing collection of awards.

"I'm hoping to build a room for the match balls and trophies," Kane said. "It isn't built yet but, hopefully, it will be soon. At the moment, the balls are just in bags, in the cupboards, waiting to be put up."

Then there's how to deal with Kane's coach declaring his love for him.

"My wife is so jealous," Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said with a smile, "and his wife, too."

The admiring glances are unlikely to stop there, for most of the world's top strikers will be jealous of what Kane is doing at the moment.

His scoring numbers are becoming extraordinary: 34 goals in 30 games for Tottenham in 2017, taking in his now-customary barren August; six hat tricks at club level this year, as many as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski combined; and 19 goals in his last nine away games for Tottenham and England, including nine in his last four.

"I'd say it's the most confident I've felt," Kane said after his latest hat trick, in Tottenham's 3-0 win over Apoel Nicosia in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Fittingly it was a so-called "perfect hat trick" — right foot, left foot and header. Kane, at present, can do no wrong.

His torrent of goals is leading to incessant talk in England of whether he belongs in the "world class" category of soccer players, headed by Messi and Ronaldo for much of the past decade.

Invariably, each goal he scores also sparks discussion of how long Tottenham can keep hold of its star player, with the club known for not paying its players as much as the heavyweights of the European game.

The 24-year-old Kane is so level-headed and humble that this is unlikely to faze or agitate him. A father for the first time in January, Kane seems to be a model professional and never gets involved in any off-the-field controversies.

His focus is on working on his game and working hard for the team — and maybe now working on some home improvements.

"It's part of being more mature," Kane said. "The more I play, the more I get a sense of what defenders will do at certain times — for example, I went back across through the (defender's) legs for the second goal against Apoel; little things like that.

"As you get older and wiser, things come naturally."

Days after saying he was "in love" with Kane after the striker's double against West Ham in the Premier League, Pochettino had to find more kind words after the hat trick against Apoel in Cyprus.

"All the strikers that have this type of level they have something special in front of goal," Pochettino said. "They are killers. Harry has this special skill."

Kane has a knack of getting his shot off early, of shooting low and hard, and he has the ability to score all kinds of goals. He takes penalties, even free kicks — just don't mention England's bizarre decision to hand him corner duties at the European Championship last year, a choice that did not work out.

Kane has been the top scorer in the Premier League for the last two seasons — last season, he managed 38 goals in all competitions, 29 coming in the league — and is now doing it at an even higher level. With five goals across the first two group games of the Champions League, Kane has matched a record held by Ronaldo and former Italy striker Filippo Inzaghi.

Some will say Kane needs to deliver at major tournaments or against top opponents on a consistent basis to be truly hoisted into the "world class" category.

Spurs' upcoming double-header against defending champion Real Madrid in their Champions League group — on Oct. 17 in Madrid and on Nov. 1 at Wembley, Tottenham's temporary home — gives Kane a chance to further raise his profile.

It's already being billed as Kane vs. Ronaldo as much as Tottenham vs. Real.

"I've never met Ronaldo but I'm a fan, of course," Kane said. "I'm a fan of great footballers and he is one of the best — especially of my generation. We probably won't be up against each other much in the game but it's always great to play the best in the world.

"They have one of the best defenses with (Sergio) Ramos, Marcelo, players like that. I want to test myself against the best and they have been the best in the last few years, without a doubt. It's going to be exciting. I want to put in a performance like I have been recently."