Harry Kane earns first call-up to England senior squad

Thursday 19 Mar 2015
Harry Kane has hit 26 goals for Tottenham this season

Roy Hodgson has handed Harry Kane his first call-up to the England senior squad for the games against Lithuania and Italy.

Kane's 26 goals in 42 games for Tottenham Hotspur this season, added to eight strikes in ten appearances for the Under-21s, has put him in the frame for the Three Lions' first get-together of 2015.

UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifying
England v Lithuania
7.45pm Friday 27 March 2015
Wembley Stadium
Buy Tickets Here

International Match
Italy v England
8.45pm (local) Tuesday 31 March 2015
Juventus Stadium

Hodgson has now named the 21-year-old striker in his 24-man squad for their European Championship Qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley next Friday, and the trip to Italy the following Tuesday.

Kane's Spurs team-mate Kyle Walker makes a return to the squad having made his 10th and most recent appearance in the November 2013 defeat to Germany.

Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph is also back in the set-up after missing November's games with injury, while Hodgson opts for two keepers after Ben Foster was ruled out. 

Harry Kane and Kyle Walker

Harry Kane and Kyle Walker are both in the squad

England's meeting with their Group E rivals Lithuania is their first at senior level, though they have played four times at U21s level. In fact, Kane bagged the winner in Kaunas when Gareth Southgate's side won 1-0 in September.

Italy and England have a much richer history against one another. Only last summer the Azzurri beat Hodgson's men in the opening game of the World Cup in Manaus, and the game in Turin on 31 March will be the 26th meeting between the nations – Italy edging the contests with 10 victories to England's eight.

The England squad

Goalkeepers
Fraser Forster (Southampton), Joe Hart (Manchester City) 

Defenders
Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) 

Midfielders
Ross Barkley (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Manchester City), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur), Theo Walcott (Arsenal) 

Forwards
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)

There are tickets for the Wembley clash with Lithuania still remaining. Click here for more details.


By Jamie Bradbury FA Editor