Kane arrived at The Den as an 18-year-old Tottenham prospect, joining a dressing room filled with older, more experienced players. Dunne remembers a youngster who rarely sought attention away from the pitch.
“ Muito quieto, muito humilde, não falava muito,” Dunne said of Kane’s personality at the time.
Yet the lack of noise did not mean a lack of authority. Kane’s influence came through his work, his movement and his ability to make the ball count. Dunne recalls that the forward “spoke on the pitch” - an early glimpse of the leadership that would later define his England career.
For Dunne, the clearest sign of Kane’s potential appeared during training rather than on match day.
“Ele era muito pé no chão, mas dava para ver que a finalização dele no treino era impecável, e isso não mudou,” Dunne said.
Kane’s development was not instant or predictable. His loan spell gave him valuable senior experience, but there was no obvious guarantee that he would become one of the world’s elite forwards. His later success at Tottenham, Bayern Munich and international level was built through relentless improvement as much as natural ability.
Dunne even remembers Kane scoring “um dos melhores gols que já vi em treinamento” - one of the finest goals he had seen in practice.
Against Norway, Kane’s responsibility will extend beyond finishing chances. England will look to his composure, movement and experience in a knockout match where small moments can decide everything.
Dunne could not foresee the career that followed. The next chapter will show whether Kane can add another defining World Cup performance to a story that has already far exceeded those early expectations.