'Proud moment' - Harry Kane poses with his Madame Tussauds waxwork as England striker is honoured ahead of World Cup

Kane has officially joined the ranks of the sporting elite at Madame Tussauds London, with the England striker admitting it was a "weird feeling" to see his lifelike replica for the first time. Currently in Miami, the Bayern Munich star worked closely with the attraction's artists to ensure every detail of the figure was perfect, right down to the England kit and his preferred boots.

Reflecting on the surreal experience, Kane said: "It was a real honour to get the call from Madame Tussauds. It’s one of those things that you never expect to happen. London is a special place for me, and I’ve lived here pretty much my whole life, so it’s the perfect city to have my first figure – it feels like a true full-circle moment."

The waxwork captures Kane in a classic pose with his foot resting on a football, but it is the smaller details that truly impressed the Three Lions’ all-time leading goalscorer. The artists even included the tape on his wedding finger, which he famously kisses as part of his goal celebration. The detail was so precise that Kane remarked: "Seeing the final result was a special moment; the eyes are so realistic, and they even remembered the tape on my wedding finger that I kiss to celebrate when I score a goal – it’s like looking in the mirror!"

It was a family affair for the unveiling, with Kane joined by his wife Kate and their four children to witness the tribute. "My wife, Kate, and my four kids came down to the unveiling, and it was a proud moment for us all," the striker added.

The figure will be permanently based in Kane's home city of London, providing a direct link to his roots. In a touching gesture, young players from Ridgeway Rovers - the Walthamstow-based club where Kane began his footballing journey - were given an exclusive preview of the waxwork. Kane is hopeful that the display will serve as a source of motivation for the next generation of talent coming through the ranks.

Discussing the impact he hopes the figure will have, Kane stated: "I can’t wait for young fans to pose next to figure-version of me in London, and I hope seeing this will inspire children to keep working hard, believing in themselves and enjoying every moment of the journey."

Kane's waxwork will be situated in the Culture Capital zone of Madame Tussauds, joining fellow icons such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Mohamed Salah, Mary Earps, Sir Lewis Hamilton, Anthony Joshua, and Kylian Mbappe. Steve Blackburn, general manager at Madame Tussauds London, noted the importance of having the England captain represented ahead of the World Cup: "Harry Kane is one of the most important figures in global sport both on the pitch and beyond, so we knew we had to bring his first-ever figure home to London from Friday June 5 ahead of the Fifa World Cup."

"Our studio team loved working closely with Harry as they share the same obsession with detail and an expert finish, and it was great to see his reaction."

Madame Tussauds