The whites of his eyes glow like headlights on full beam. Trickles of blood snake down his face through a soaked bandage, forming droplets that fall from his chin. The shirt, once a brilliant white, looks as if it’s been used to mop an abattoir, and the Three Lions adorning its front are saturated by the wounds of war. A blood-soaked captain’s armband grips his left bicep.
This is, of course, the iconic image of Terry Butcher, leaving the Rasunda Stadium pitch in September, 1989 after captaining England to a 0-0 draw with Sweden. The point secured England’s qualification for the 1990 World Cup. Eight years later, England captain Paul Ince left Rome’s Stadio Olimpico in a similarly bloody mess, again following a goalless draw that also secured a World Cup place.
These two scenes embody many people’s perceptions of inspired leadership. The captains of that era were big characters and so-called “hard men,” operating in the centre of the pitch and responsible for bone-crunching tackles as well as spine-tingling speeches to their teammates. But when England take on Iran at Khalifa International Stadium on Nov. 21, leading the team out for their opening game of the 2022 World Cup will be Harry Kane.
The soft-spoken Tottenham striker isn’t known for his rousing oratory; he will, however, have been the proverbial “first out on the training pitch” and the first tucked up in bed with a protein shake for a nightcap. Kane is a force of professionalism, not personality.
Recognising that burden of responsibility, England manager Gareth Southgate created a “leadership group” to support Kane, and together they set the team’s culture and values for a generation that places greater social expectations on its heroes. And it’s worked. A nation reconnected with its team, and England reached the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup and the final of Euro 2020.
When Kane pulls on the OneLove armband at the World Cup in Qatar, he will be supporting the LGBTQ+ community. This is what is expected of the modern captain far more than shouting, pointing and putting your head where it hurts. The armband-wearer is now a standard-bearer.
– Lloris: “Too much pressure” on players to protest at World Cup
Cast your mind back to 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Galvanised by his iconic blue armband, Diego Maradona wrote his name into World Cup history as he inspired a limited Argentina side to ultimate glory, restoring pride to a nation recovering from the Falklands War.
All of which raises a number of pertinent questions ahead of the tournament: Do people care what you stand for when you stand to lose a vital game? When the fans are booing and the team needs someone to step up, how can the captain deliver on the pitch? Just how important can one player be?
The Shrews boss seeks captains with emotional intelligence, not just aggression. “In the modern game, captains need empathy,” he explains. “That’s where the role has changed a little. Years ago, a captain might say to someone, “You OK?” and they’d say, “Yeah, I’m OK” and that’d be it. People are more willing to open up these days, and a good captain will help them. It’s about trust, and trust is built over time. You need a captain who gives to the group and isn’t worried about getting the credit.”
For Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong, captaincy is also a constant role. “Access to players has changed,” says the Watford defender. “Media coverage now is 24/7 with social media, so you can’t take off that captaincy hat. More access means more responsibility.”
Those responsibilities also stretch much further now. Former Burnley skipper Ben Mee spoke passionately of his shame and anger upon seeing a banner proclaiming “White Lives Matter — Burnley” being flown above the Etihad Stadium when his team faced Manchester City in 2020. Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson was awarded an MBE for services to charity during the COVID-19 pandemic as the driving force behind the Players Together initiative that encouraged professional footballers to donate to the NHS. England captain Kane has said he wants to “shine a light” on human rights issues in Qatar as campaigners have been urging captains to do more at the World Cup. Troost-Ekong, whose Nigeria side narrowly failed to qualify, understands the sense of duty.
“We have to remind ourselves how irrelevant football is sometimes,” he says. “It will be a shame if people don’t use their platforms to highlight those issues. The whole world is watching, and coaches and captains can speak for people who don’t have a voice. It’s a responsibility.”
