‘He wasn’t even in top five’ – Harry Kane’s ex-teammate makes shock youth team claim

Harry Kane ‘rarely stood out’ in the Tottenham academy, according to one of his former teammates. Steven Caulker played with Kane in the Spurs youth team between 2007 and 2009 as the pair climbed the ranks to the first-team. Kane won the Meisterschale trophy with Bayern MunichGetty After signing a professional contract with Tottenham in 2010, Kane was sent on loan spells across England, playing for Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich City and Leicester City. His first Premier League start for Spurs came in April 2014 against Sunderland, where he scored his first top-flight goal in the 59th minute. But despite scoring 280 goals in all competitions, he was unable to help them to a trophy win. In 2023, the 31-year-old left his boyhood club to join Bayern Munich in an £88million move. On Saturday, Kane celebrated with his Bayern teammates as the club lifted the Bundesliga ‘Meisterschale’, ending his 15-year trophy drought. Caulker congratulated his former youth teammate on LinkedIn and reflected on their time at the Tottenham academy and how different players can develop He Caulker: “Harry Kane wasn’t the best player in our youth team. “In fact, at the time, I’m not sure I would have even put him in the top five. “For context, I came through Spurs academy, where they produced a phenomenal amount of talent in a really short space of time. “Kyle Walker, Kyle Naughton, Danny Rose, Andros Townsend, Ryan Mason, Adam Smith, Jake Livermore, Tommy Carroll, Alex Pritchard, Nabil Bentaleb, and myself all went on to play in the Premier League. Caulker made his debut for Tottenham in 2012Getty Images - Getty AFPKane began his career a year earlier with Caulker out on loan[/caption] “Plus many other talented players who went on to play professional football at various different levels.” He continued: “Harry was in the year below me, and if I’m honest, he rarely stood out to me as having anything special. “One thing I do remember though, is his mentality. It was second to none. “Roll on a few years, and a few loan spells, Harry got his break with Spurs. “Harry has gone on to surpass all of us with his incredible individual achievements; the only player in the same bracket is Kyle Walker, who Spurs paid a lot of money for as a youngster.” The centre-back concluded: “Well done, H. Simply incredible what you have achieved so far”. GettyKane and Caulker never played together at Tottenham but would eventually become rivals on the pitch on four occasions[/caption] Caulker captains the Sierra Leone national teamGetty While Kane has finally got his hands on a piece of silverware, the England captain is desperate for his former club Tottenham to do the same. Spurs have the opportunity to win their first trophy since the League Cup in 2008 on May 21 as they come head-to-head with Manchester United in the Europa League final. Tottenham’s all-time top goalscorer shared his hopes for his former club during Bayern’s title celebrations. “They’ve obviously had a tough season, there’s no hiding from that,” said Kane. “But to reach the Europa League final is a great achievement. “It’s not an easy feat to beat the teams that they’ve beaten so full credit to them, I’ll be watching and hoping they can win.” The striker added: “It could be a good month for a lot of Spurs fans, because I know a lot of them have reached out to me and they’re happy to see me lift this title. “And of course, I think we’d all be happy to see Spurs win that.” Kane had grown used to heartbreak at Spurs, earning two League Cup runners-up medals, and losing a Champions League final in 2019 to Liverpool. He also helped the club achieve second place in the Premier League in 2016/17, as well as third place in 2015/16 and 2017/18, as they just fell short of winning a title.

May 15, 2025 - 00:04

‘He wasn’t even in top five’ – Harry Kane’s ex-teammate makes shock youth team claim

Harry Kane ‘rarely stood out’ in the Tottenham academy, according to one of his former teammates.

Steven Caulker played with Kane in the Spurs youth team between 2007 and 2009 as the pair climbed the ranks to the first-team.

Kane won the Meisterschale trophy with Bayern Munich

After signing a professional contract with Tottenham in 2010, Kane was sent on loan spells across England, playing for Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich City and Leicester City.

His first Premier League start for Spurs came in April 2014 against Sunderland, where he scored his first top-flight goal in the 59th minute.

But despite scoring 280 goals in all competitions, he was unable to help them to a trophy win.

In 2023, the 31-year-old left his boyhood club to join Bayern Munich in an £88million move.

On Saturday, Kane celebrated with his Bayern teammates as the club lifted the Bundesliga ‘Meisterschale’, ending his 15-year trophy drought.

Caulker congratulated his former youth teammate on LinkedIn and reflected on their time at the Tottenham academy and how different players can develop

He Caulker: “Harry Kane wasn’t the best player in our youth team.

“In fact, at the time, I’m not sure I would have even put him in the top five.

“For context, I came through Spurs academy, where they produced a phenomenal amount of talent in a really short space of time.

“Kyle Walker, Kyle Naughton, Danny Rose, Andros Townsend, Ryan Mason, Adam Smith, Jake Livermore, Tommy Carroll, Alex Pritchard, Nabil Bentaleb, and myself all went on to play in the Premier League.

Caulker made his debut for Tottenham in 2012

Kane began his career a year earlier with Caulker out on loan[/caption]

“Plus many other talented players who went on to play professional football at various different levels.”

He continued: “Harry was in the year below me, and if I’m honest, he rarely stood out to me as having anything special.

“One thing I do remember though, is his mentality. It was second to none.

“Roll on a few years, and a few loan spells, Harry got his break with Spurs.

“Harry has gone on to surpass all of us with his incredible individual achievements; the only player in the same bracket is Kyle Walker, who Spurs paid a lot of money for as a youngster.”

The centre-back concluded: “Well done, H. Simply incredible what you have achieved so far”.

Kane and Caulker never played together at Tottenham but would eventually become rivals on the pitch on four occasions[/caption]

Caulker captains the Sierra Leone national team

While Kane has finally got his hands on a piece of silverware, the England captain is desperate for his former club Tottenham to do the same.

Spurs have the opportunity to win their first trophy since the League Cup in 2008 on May 21 as they come head-to-head with Manchester United in the Europa League final.

Tottenham’s all-time top goalscorer shared his hopes for his former club during Bayern’s title celebrations.

“They’ve obviously had a tough season, there’s no hiding from that,” said Kane.

“But to reach the Europa League final is a great achievement.

“It’s not an easy feat to beat the teams that they’ve beaten so full credit to them, I’ll be watching and hoping they can win.”

The striker added: “It could be a good month for a lot of Spurs fans, because I know a lot of them have reached out to me and they’re happy to see me lift this title.

“And of course, I think we’d all be happy to see Spurs win that.”

Kane had grown used to heartbreak at Spurs, earning two League Cup runners-up medals, and losing a Champions League final in 2019 to Liverpool.

He also helped the club achieve second place in the Premier League in 2016/17, as well as third place in 2015/16 and 2017/18, as they just fell short of winning a title.