A £7,200 bronze statue honouring England’s all-time leading goalscorer, Harry Kane, has been unveiled in a ceremony that has sparked significant controversy.
The statue, made of bronze, is located at the Peter May Sports Centre in Walthamstow, London, but its unveiling was met with heated debate across the football community. The artwork depicts Kane seated with a football resting on his lap, a design that has been widely criticized for its unusual appearance. Fans have not held back in their reaction, with many labeling the statue the “stuff of nightmares” due to its peculiar portrayal of the football legend.
Originally commissioned in 2019, during Harry Kane’s time at Tottenham Hotspur, the unveiling of the statue faced delays due to challenges in finding a suitable location for its display. Local authorities reportedly struggled with choosing a spot that would do justice to the artwork while considering the diverse reactions from the community. After much deliberation, the sports centre was ultimately selected as the permanent home for the statue.
In addition to the statue, the sports centre also features graffiti murals celebrating key milestones in Harry Kane’s illustrious career, which includes an impressive total of 426 goals and counting. Despite the widespread criticism of the statue’s design, the Bayern Munich star and England captain seemed unfazed by the backlash. Kane appeared relaxed and in good spirits, smiling as he posed beside the statue, just days after his exceptional performance in England’s 5-0 Nations League victory over Ireland. His confident display next to the controversial statue suggested that the criticism has had little impact on the footballer’s morale.
