​Harry Kane’s World Cup exploits have been celebrated in a fresh piece of art near Peterborough just as England reached the quarter-finals. A BBC report noted that a record nine million people tuned in to Monday’s dramatic victory over Mexico on BBC TV and the BBC iPlayer. The mural, created by the city’s renowned street artist Nathan Murdoch, depicts the England captain on a barn-like door just off the A47 between Eye and Thorney. The painting stands about four metres tall, or roughly 13 feet.
Murdoch, 38, who runs Street Arts Hire, also plans to paint a tribute to England’s Jude Bellingham in Peterborough this Saturday, though the exact location has yet to be confirmed. The mural has already been warmly received, Murdoch indicated, as he spoke about the piece alongside a photo credit to John Devine for the BBC. “He’s going to break more records for England. I wanted to do something as a fan, and here it is,” Murdoch said of Kane.
Finished on Sunday, the mural quickly drew the eyes of motorists passing by, even before England’s victory in Mexico City in the early hours of Monday. Murdoch added that a video showcasing his artwork had been viewed more than 300,000 times on social media. “The response has been great… it’s an achievement,” he commented. He also opened up about the difficulties of painting the mural.
“It took about seven hours… the heat and the wind were blowing the paint away,” he recalled. “At one point I was like, ‘I just want to go home.’” The surface of the door is corrugated and uneven, presenting a challenge as he worked to capture the image—“I battled with this painting, just like England did on Monday,” he said.
Rachael Denham, a resident of Sutton St James near Peterborough, visited the mural after seeing it online and shared her enthusiasm. “We are huge football fans. It’s fantastic… it’s a lot bigger than it looks online,” she remarked. When asked about England’s prospects in the next round, she replied, “We are all set up. We have England flags in the front and back of the house. The beer fridge is full and we are very optimistic. They have a good chance if they play like they did on Monday.” Jade Barker, another local from Sutton St James, called the mural “fantastic,” praising the level of detail and the lifelike eyes, and she predicted a 2-1 England victory over Norway in the upcoming quarter-final.
Murdoch made clear that the mural honors Kane, saying, “Harry deserves this place” on the agricultural building on the northern side of the A47 where Thorney Road becomes The Causeway. The Kane portrait has replaced a previous mural Murdoch had painted of former England manager Gareth Southgate, whom he described as “the best manager in my lifetime.” Murdoch has also spoken of his dream to see England win the World Cup at least once.
“The conversation in my house is all about Erling Haaland,” he confessed, referencing the Norwegian star whom England would soon face in the quarter-finals. “He’s the one we’re worried about. Dan Burn, it’s your time to shine – you’re our wall against the Norwegians.” The matchups and the high hopes for England’s quarter-final run have become the talk of the town, with the Kane mural serving as a vivid tribute to England’s World Cup journey and a local symbol of support as fans look ahead to neck-and-neck clashes on the world stage.