Harry Kane has revealed he has been using his own secret physio to ensure he goes into the World Cup in the best shape of his career.
England captain Kane has been working with a specialist after suffering ankle injuries and a string of hamstring problems in the past.
Kane said he is now in a “totally different place physically” thanks to the physio and says his confidence has never been higher ahead of a tournament.
Tottenham striker Kane has been working with the medical guru - who he declined to name - with the full blessing of his club and flies him in from Spain each month and he actually stays with him at his home for a week at a time.
Kane said: “I was at a period in my career where I was struggling to play consistently throughout a season. Especially when you come up to major tournaments, it's great to know your body is in a good place.
“Of course, you can get injured at any moment, whether it's a tackle or a bad movement but I think when you're free in your mind and you've been playing consistently for a while, it definitely helps with your mindset going into the seasons and major tournaments.
“Whenever you're trying to put a good season together, you're on good form and you consistently get the same kind of injuries - I kept getting ankle injuries and that led to a bigger hamstring injury.
“So I think as I've got older and more mature, you learn more about your body and how your body adapts to stuff, when you can push and when you should not push too hard.
“So you learn as you go on, and I've definitely learnt really well over the last few years about my body and myself. That's helped me to consistently play at the level I have.
“He's been really great for me, we've worked for hours and hours over the three years, built up a really good relationship and I feel like he's really helped me get my body.
“I've seen changes in my body in terms of what my ankles were like before and now after. I'm in a totally different place. So it's really pleasing, I've kept that under the radar. Not now!”
Kane has admitted he has been “surprised” by the level of criticism towards Gareth Southgate - but insists England can win back the fans.
England supporters turned on Southgate for the first time after the 4-0 defeat to Hungary in June and called for him to be sacked in the lowest point in the manager’s four year reign. Kane said the players were rocked by the setback which leaves England facing relegation from their Nations League Group if they lose in Italy.
He said: “I said after the game in the interviews that it was surprising, considering where we’ve come over the last few years and what we’ve achieved in the Euros.
“But as we know in football nowadays managers come in for a lot of criticism in a short period of time. I think it’s probably been our second most successful time as a nation when you look at all the tournaments we’ve had.
“But ultimately if you don’t win there’s always that feeling of pain, that feeling of anger, and it’s no different for the players as well.
“It is understandable when you lose 4-0 at home against a team you are expected to beat there is going to be some moans and some groans, and that is part and parcel of football. We wasn’t happy by any means either but I still think we have.
“Great connection with the fans. The last two tournaments especially have been incredible for us, for the fans, the whole nation getting behind us, and I have no doubt it will be the same once we start in Qatar.”
