England captain Harry Kane played a round of golf with U.S. President Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Florida [1, 4].
The revelation comes as England prepares for a World Cup quarter-final, highlighting the intersection of global sports stardom and American political power.
Kane said the meeting was a "pretty surreal experience" [1, 2]. The outing took place in early 2025, approximately 18 months [1] before the current World Cup quarter-final stage.
According to Kane, the encounter occurred after Trump invited him to play during a visit to Florida [3, 2]. Kane said the meeting was a unique and grateful moment, providing an opportunity to meet the president who had recently praised his performances for the England national team [3, 2].
During the discussion of the event, Kane commented on the president's skill on the course. "He's pretty good at golf," Kane said [2].
Kane also joked about the age of the 80-year-old [2] president. "I hope I can play as well as the 80-year-old president when I’m his age," Kane said [3].
The meeting occurred well before the high-stakes environment of the current tournament. While Kane has focused on his athletic duties in the U.S., the memory of the Palm Beach trip remains a point of interest for fans and media alike, marking a rare crossover between the Premier League and the White House.
“"It was a pretty surreal experience,"”
The interaction underscores the soft-power diplomacy often associated with the World Cup, where elite athletes engage with political leaders to build international rapport. By framing the meeting as a lighthearted sporting encounter, Kane maintains a neutral public image while acknowledging the influence of the U.S. presidency during England's campaign on American soil.
