Joe Hart: ‘Playing for England was what other people did, I just supported’

England’s goalkeeper will surpass Gordon Banks’ 73 caps when he lines up against Slovenia on Thursday and still dreams of achieving that ‘special moment’

Joe Hart has first-hand experience of that sickening sense of helplessness, the one that grips any opponent whenever the ball veers towards Harry Kane alone inside the penalty area. He endured it a little over a week ago at the London Stadium. He would have been aware out of the corner of his eye of the forward loitering menacingly in the centre as he watched Dele Alli break beyond West Ham United’s defence and sprint down the left side of his box. Hart was still chuntering at that concession when, moments later, he blocked Alli’s shot with his right thigh only to see the loose ball dribble inexorably onto the striker’s left foot.

There was an inevitability about everything that followed, the goalkeeper’s desperate dive, with Hart left lowering his head to the turf in frustration. Everything Kane touches at present is flying in. The only consolation for the Manchester City loanee is that for the next few days at least, Kane is a team-mate rather than an adversary.

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