Harry Kane says he played golf with Trump after receiving surprise invitation

MIAMI, FLORIDA: England captain Harry Kane has revealed that he played a round of golf with President Donald Trump around 18 months ago after receiving a personal invitation to visit one of the president's Florida golf clubs.

Speaking at a press conference in Miami on Friday, July 10, ahead of England's FIFA World Cup quarterfinal against Norway, Kane described the experience as "surreal" and said he was honoured by the invitation.

"He invited me to play when I was down in Palm Beach. When the president invites you somewhere, it was a pretty surreal experience just to meet him and to play golf with him," Kane said. The England striker also praised Trump's abilities on the golf course.

"His golf is pretty good to be honest with you. I hope I can play as well as him when I'm his age, that's for sure," he added.

The two are believed to have played at one of Trump's golf clubs in West Palm Beach, although neither Kane nor the president identified the specific course.

Trump returns the compliment

Trump also spoke about the golf outing earlier this week, recalling his time with the England captain and complimenting Kane's sporting ability.

"I think Kane is a great player," Trump said. "See, I played golf with him, and I like him a lot. He's a good golfer."

The remarks reflect Trump's continued interest in the FIFA World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Earlier this week, the president made headlines after contacting FIFA President Gianni Infantino in an attempt to overturn a red card issued to US men's national team forward Folarin Balogun.

Balogun's automatic one-match suspension was later converted into a suspended punishment, allowing him to feature against Belgium. FIFA, however, maintained that the decision was made independently and was not influenced by Trump's intervention.

The United States was subsequently knocked out of the tournament following a 4-1 defeat to Belgium.

Focus shifts to England's quarterfinal

Despite the off-field attention, Kane remains focused on England's World Cup campaign. The 32-year-old striker has been one of the tournament's standout performers, scoring six goals as England advanced to the quarterfinals.

England will face Norway on Saturday, with Kane aiming to help his side reach the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 1966.

Ahead of the highly anticipated clash, the British and Norwegian embassies in Washington exchanged light-hearted messages on social media, adding a touch of friendly rivalry before the two European sides meet on the pitch.