Away from the clamour of goals and record-breaking numbers, Harry Kane had a rare human moment just hours before Bayern Munich's decisive Champions League clash with Arsenal.
The 33-year-old striker has long been a nightmare for the Gunners' defence and stands as the leading candidate to win the Ballon d'Or next week. Yet he could not contain himself after receiving a message he had not been expecting.
TNT Sports arranged the surprise. They reached out to Kane's old teacher at Chingford school, who sent him an encouraging voice message following his astonishing start to the season. The England captain had only last week agreed a huge new contract with Bayern.
Pride filled Mr Leadon's voice as his message went out on air: "Hello Harry, this is Mr Leadon. First of all, on behalf of everyone at Chingford school, I would like to express how very proud of you we are."
He added: "Your record in the Premier League with Tottenham, in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, and of course with England, whether in terms of goals or appearances, is a truly magnificent achievement."
He continued: "But it goes beyond that. You have represented our country with magnificent leadership, and as our captain, you have truly been an inspiring role model for thousands of young players who aspire to follow in your footsteps. I wish you the best of luck for the Ballon d'Or. And remember, as the song goes, you will always be one of us."
Those words carried the Three Lions' all-time top scorer back many years.
Kane spoke with emotion: "Thank you so much. I have wonderful memories of playing football at school, when I was just a free-spirited child, eager to score goals and to play. I don't even think I thought about becoming a professional footballer when I was eleven or twelve years old. It was just a dream."
He added: "Obviously, as you get older, it becomes more realistic, and you start to understand the sacrifices that come with it. I was willing to do a lot of things that others didn't, and that is a big part of why I am here now."
Nine goals already this season for Bayern, and Kane walks into the Arsenal match hungry for more against a club he has tormented. His tally against the Gunners stands at 15 goals in 22 matches.
He is not the first prolific scorer to reunite with an old teacher after reaching the top. Arsenal legend Ian Wright once met his teacher Sydney Pigden in a famous, widely shared encounter and said in astonishment: "I can't believe it. Someone said you were dead."