Dressed in colour-co-ordinated tangerine outfits, they look like just another teenage couple heading off to the school prom, posing excitedly, if rather nervously, in their finest threads.
Who could have foretold that 13 years on, that slightly awkward-looking young man in a brown suit would become entrusted with the dreams of a nation as he captained England in their quest for World Cup glory in Qatar, and that his girlfriend holding him tight would be there cheering from the stands?
For the romance between Harry Kane and his wife Kate Goodland is extraordinary not for being forged in some glitzy A-list nightclub, but for its longevity, stability and normality – rare factors for a relationship in the world of top-flight football.
Even when the charming pre-prom image was taken in 2009, the couple, now both 29, had known each other for a dozen years, meeting at the age of just four at Larkswood Primary School in Chingford, East London.
Harry Kane and Katie Goodland are pictured prior to their school prom
England’s forward Harry Kane talks with his wife Katie Goodland after defeating Wales 3-0 in the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group B football match between Wales and England at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha on November 29, 2022
And although they lived just ten minutes apart, they came, like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet, from houses divided by ancient grudge: he was an Arsenal fan, while she came from a family of die-hard Tottenham supporters.
They were friends for years before becoming boyfriend and girlfriend, and eventually husband and wife. But Kate is the antithesis of the archetypal WAG. There’s no ego, no plastic surgery, no hair extensions and – bar the odd designer handbag – no outrageous fashion statements.
And instead of swanning from spa session to party, she has a successful career as a personal trainer, having gained a degree in sports science, and occasionally she shares her workouts on Instagram to inspire her 225,000 followers. She also showed her sporting prowess during the Euros last year, beating the goalkeeper several times in a pop-up penalty competition set up outside Wembley Stadium.
Kate combines her professional life with being a mother to the three young children she has with Harry. So while the other England WAGs have formed social cliques, she prefers to spend time with her family and friends she has known since childhood.
She has another key role, too – keeping her husband grounded, no matter his successes. ‘She brings me back down to earth,’ Harry has revealed. ‘If I score a hat-trick, Kate will say, ‘Well done, you can make me a cup of tea when you get home.’ She’s not afraid to take the mickey out of herself or me.’
That, say friends, is because she is ‘normal’, and because their down-to-earth relationship long predates Harry’s fame and fortune.
David Beckham poses for a photograph with pupils from his old school during the launch of ‘The David Beckham Academy’ in London 14 March, 2005. On the right is future England footballer Harry Kane. On the left is his future fiancee Katie Goodland
Harry Kane of England and wife Katie Goodland as he holds a Man of the Match award England v Senegal, FIFA World Cup 2022, Round of 16
Katie Jane Goodland – to use her full maiden name – grew up just three streets away from Kane in a semi-detached, four-bedroom home with her mum Kelly and dad Gary, who owns a steel and tool business. She has a younger brother named Tom from whom she inherited her love of football – and Tottenham Hotspur.
Although Harry was a fan of their North London rivals, he and Kate became inseparable. They would often walk the short distance to school together after Harry called in at hers. And together, they both moved on from Larkswood Primary to Chingford Foundation School, whose former pupils include another England skipper, David Beckham.
When Beckham opened his football academy in Greenwich in 2005, a small number of pupils were given the chance to attend and both Harry and Kate, then 12, successfully put themselves forward.
Both were exceptionally sporty at school. Kate was the more academic of the two, while Harry had his eye firmly on becoming a football star. By this point, he had been signed up to the Spurs academy, which surely must have elevated him in the eyes of Kate’s family.
As the day drew to a close, Beckham posed for a photograph with them both, Harry with his head shaved and Kate, one of the few girls there, wearing her blonde hair in two French plaits. The picture was unearthed a few years ago, instantly going viral.
One source said: ‘David thought it would be a nice touch to invite a couple of pupils from his old school to see the academy, play some football and meet him.
‘It was a really special day for Harry and Kate to kick a ball around and then have a picture with David afterwards.’
Harry Kane of England with wife Katie and his Man of the Match award 4.12.2022England v Senegal, FIFA World Cup – Round of 16
The Kanes are pictured holding their children in this social media post from Kate
As their school years went on, Harry and Kate went from being mates to two teenagers who slowly became boyfriend and girlfriend.
Friends say their early dates consisted of walks in the nearby Epping Forest and evenings out at local restaurants. They would also knock back the odd vodka cocktail at ‘kitchen parties’ with their loyal school friends in their parents’ houses. One friend said: ‘It was so sweet. They had so much in common and their families became intertwined as they lived so close, then slowly they started dating. It is a really lovely love story.’
Harry signed a professional contract with Tottenham at the age of 16. A few years later, he and Kate moved into their own home together.
They cemented their romance with a cute chocolate labrador named Shamus. They took him on their romantic walks in Epping Forest.
As Kane’s career became more lucrative, their lifestyle became more lavish. Their first holiday, in 2014, was to Thailand where they rode an elephant, went snorkelling and visited numerous tourist attractions before stopping off in Dubai on their way home.
Harry was barely recognised on that trip, but things were to change the following year, when he became the Premier League’s top goalscorer. They jetted off to the Bahamas, New York and Portugal and dined at upmarket London restaurants Novikov and Zuma. But they still enjoyed nights out at Sheesh, their favourite local hangout in Chigwell, Essex.
England’s Harry Kane kisses his wife Katie Goodland in the stands after the FIFA World Cup Group B match at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar
Yet their home life changed significantly as they decided to build their own house close to where they grew up. The £17 million mansion features a cinema, a golf room and a stunning staircase.
But Kane believes that having Kate in his life for so long meant she was well placed to handle his fame exploding.
At the time, he told Esquire magazine: ‘We went to school together, so she’s seen my whole career. Of course, she’s finding it a little crazy. I think she’s even been in the papers a couple of times taking the dogs out.’
Their dogs now included two more labradors, Wilson and Brady, both named after American football quarterbacks: Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos, and Tom Brady, formerly of the New England Patriots, who is Harry’s sporting hero.
The Kanes soon welcomed daughter Ivy, now five, and shortly afterwards, while the family were on holiday in the Bahamas, Harry popped the question on the beach.
He shared the moment with his 12 million Instagram followers, writing ‘She said yes’ alongside a photograph of him proposing.
They then had another daughter, Vivi, now three.
The Kanes are pictured holding their children in Qatar following a World Cup match
The Kane family are seen at the stadium in Qatar in this social media post from Kate
Kate made a rare decision to go lavish for her hen do, flying to Las Vegas on a private jet with a group of friends.
She kept her Instagram followers updated on the party, and was pictured dressed in a full England kit with ‘Kane 9’ on the back as she boarded the plane.
While Harry remained at home concluding the season with Tottenham, the entire hen party wore Harry Kane masks.
Kate also went to a pool party at the exclusive Encore Beach Club, where she was dressed as an angel, and went to see Calvin Harris at the Omnia club in Caesars Palace as she celebrated her final days as an unmarried woman.
In June 2019, the pair jetted off to get married. The exotic location was kept secret from all but the small and exclusive guest list, comprising mostly the couple’s families and friends from their school days – although Kane’s Tottenham teammates Matt Doherty and Eric Dier, plus Dier’s fiancee Anna Modler, were thought to have been there. Kate’s seven bridesmaids were her friends from school.
Again, Harry proudly posted a picture of the couple on Instagram, him in a black tuxedo, Kate in a white gown. ‘Finally got to marry my best friend!’ he wrote, adding the simple message to his wife: ‘I love you.’
In keeping with the wedding’s intimate feel, the newlyweds hosted a fun sporting event, with some friendly competition for the ‘Kaneland Games’ between Team Harry and Team Kate.
Last year, the Kanes welcomed their third child, a son named Louis. Now there’s surely only one thing missing from their family home: a World Cup winner’s medal.