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Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos, the Spain captain, praised the England team, singling out Harry Kane in particular. Photograph: Julio Munoz/EPA
Sergio Ramos, the Spain captain, praised the England team, singling out Harry Kane in particular. Photograph: Julio Munoz/EPA

Spain’s Sergio Ramos suggests England’s Harry Kane could be success in La Liga

This article is more than 5 years old
‘A physically fantastic striker. Technically he surprises you’
England play Spain in Nations League match on Monday

The Spain captain, Sergio Ramos, has continued in his role as football’s grand pantomime villain by cheekily suggesting Harry Kane would be a success in La Liga.

The Tottenham striker, who is enduring something of a drought at international level, has been heavily linked with Ramos’s club, Real Madrid, in recent years. The two will face each other on Monday night in the Nations League and Ramos, who is no stranger to controversy following his exploits in the Champions League final against Liverpool, singled out Kane for praise before the match in Seville.

Asked if any of the England players had the technical capabilities to play in Spain, the central defender said: “Well, I am very impressed by all of them. You maybe concentrate on the physical in the Premier League but there is also very important technical players. I’ll start with Harry Kane. He’s a physically fantastic striker but also technically he surprises you.

“He might surprise a lot of people but not me. He’s great technically but there’s also other technical players who are dangerous and I can assure you we’ve been studying them, watching them on videos.”

England go into the game following their forgettable draw in the behind-closed-doors match in Croatia on Friday and were also beaten 2-1 by Spain at Wembley last month. Despite an underwhelming Nations Cup campaign so far, Ramos is expecting a test from Gareth Southgate’s men.

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“Well, we know that their level of difficulty is very high, it’s incredible,” said the 32-year-old, who will be making his 160th appearance for his country. “We know we have got a fantastic national team in front of us in England. Even though we played a great game I thought at Wembley, there’s always things you can improve and tomorrow we have another opportunity to do this, to do a great game against players of fantastic, highest level.

“They were semi-finalists [at the World Cup], with a lot of personality despite being a very young national team. They have got very great virtues. Offensively they’re very dangerous. Harry Kane, we hope he has ... well, we are going to try to keep his scoring drought going because that would be a good sign for us.”

Spain are looking to continue their 100% start to life under Luis Enrique. The win at Wembley and the 6-0 thrashing of Croatia leaves them on the verge of wrapping up Group A4.

“I like Gareth Southgate as a coach and the way he interprets football,” Enrique said.

“I follow his press conferences out of curiosity and to have a free English teacher!”I like the way he expresses himself, and the way he believes football should be played.

“Trust in him because he will be able to do well for more years in the national team.”

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