Harry Kane has never hidden his ambition to one day swap footballs for field goals. The Bayern Munich and England captain, now 32, has spoken openly about his fascination with American football — and his long-term dream to become an NFL kicker.

“It’s always something that’s in the back of my mind,” he said last month. “I know it’ll be a lot of hard work. I’m not expecting to just rock up and start kicking field goals — it would take a lot of practice.”

Now, that dream might not be so far-fetched. A Super Bowl-winning punter has stepped forward, not only to back Kane’s bid but to personally help train him for life in the NFL.

The roots of Kane’s NFL fascination stretch back over a decade. As a teenager, he watched a 2011 documentary about legendary quarterback Tom Brady, which ignited a lifelong admiration. Soon after, he became a devoted fan of the New England Patriots.

He even attended the Patriots’ 2019 Super Bowl triumph in Atlanta — and struck up friendships with Brady and teammate Julian Edelman.

Speaking on Good Morning America in 2023, Kane admitted: “The NFL is something I’ve been following for about 10 years now. I love it, so I would love to give it a go.”

Football writer Henry Winter told BBC Radio 5 Live that he believes Kane’s transition could happen sooner rather than later: “If I was taking a punt, I’d say within three years he’ll be a kicker in the NFL. He’s close to Brady, he’s got the mentality, and it’s been done before.”

Enter Dustin Colquitt, a Super Bowl winner with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020. Like Kane, he followed in family footsteps — his father Craig Colquitt was also an NFL champion — and set a franchise record with 238 appearances for the Chiefs.

Colquitt, who grew up dreaming of playing in the Premier League, says he has long admired Kane and believes the striker’s skillset could translate to American football.

“Absolutely, if he focused on it, he’d do fantastic,” Colquitt told BBC Sport. “I’ve seen his finishing skills. I’d love to work with him — he’s serious about this, and that’s part of who he is.”

The connection between a punter and kicker is critical in the NFL. As Colquitt explained, “A punter holds the kicker’s job literally in his hands. If you’ve got a bad hold, bad things happen.”

He even offered to help Kane personally: “The guy that holds for those field goals, that’s extremely important — knowing where the laces are, judging the wind. So when he’s ready, I’m ready.”

Kane is used to performing under immense pressure — and that could be his biggest advantage.

He compared an NFL kick to a football penalty, telling Gary Neville on The Overlap: “It’s almost the equivalent to a penalty kick. A lot of people can score in training or kick a long way, but can you do it when the game’s on the line? That’s where I think I have an edge.”

His record backs up that claim. Excluding shootouts, Kane has scored 93 of 105 penalties in his senior career and missed just one of 37 since the 2022 World Cup.

Colquitt echoed the sentiment, saying that kickers live by a “one shot, one kill” mindset: “You only need them when you need them, but they’ve got to be money when they’re counted on.”

Kane wouldn’t be the first footballer to cross the Atlantic in search of gridiron glory.

Former Austria international Toni Fritsch made the jump in the 1960s after the Dallas Cowboys scouted him during a European tour. He went on to win a Super Bowl in 1972 — earning a ring despite being sidelined by injury.

Others followed: Garo Yepremian, Morten Andersen, Jan Stenerud, Toni Linhart, and Neil O'Donoghue all made successful transitions from European football to the NFL.

Closer to home, Clive Allen, the former Tottenham and England striker, had a brief stint with the London Monarchs in 1997. He scored six field goals from six attempts and seven of ten extra points — though none came from beyond 40 yards.

Today, NFL kickers such as Brandon Aubrey (Dallas Cowboys), Harrison Butker (Kansas City Chiefs), and Cairo Santos (Chicago Bears) all have footballing backgrounds. Veterans Nick Folk and Matt Prater, still kicking at 41, offer further inspiration for Kane’s late-career switch.

Kane’s Bayern Munich contract runs until 2027 — just before his 34th birthday — leaving a perfect window to pursue his American dream.

While he’s hinted he might extend his deal in Germany, the lure of the NFL could prove irresistible. With his mental resilience, elite accuracy, and a Super Bowl winner ready to coach him, few doubt his potential to make the leap.

As Colquitt summed up: “He’s got the mindset, the power, and the poise. If he wants it, he can absolutely do it.”