England superstars Harry Kane and Alessia Russo have teamed up on World Mental Health Day, with inspiring messages being passed out to those who are struggling. Kane and Russo have experienced tough times themselves on and off the pitch and want to use their voice, as prominent figures in society, to help spread the word of never being afraid to speak up and ask for help.
Kane & Russo overcame difficulties to reach the top
Kane and Russo have reached the very top of their chosen profession. The former is the all-time leading scorer for Tottenham and England’s men’s national team – while reaching 100 goals for current employers Bayern Munich – while the latter is a two-time European Championship winner with the Lionesses that also helped Arsenal to Champions League glory in 2024-25.
Their respective rises have not been without their difficulties. Kane took in several loan spells before making his breakthrough at Spurs, leading to questions being asked of his ability to perform at a high level, while Russo has spoken out in the past about online trolls causing her body image and personal wellbeing issues.
AdvertisementRusso's advice to younger self in times of struggle
The pair have now linked up on Mental Health Day 2025, with Kane asking Russo: "If you could go back and speak to your younger self during a particularly difficult setback, what is the most crucial piece of advice you would give?"
Arsenal and England forward Russo replied with: "I would tell her to stay calm. There’s always light at the end of the tunnel. You may not feel it in the moment, but the tough times don’t last and I think staying positive, working hard, tapping into the people around you, your friends, your family, your support staff, your team-mates. Everyone wants the best for you. They want you at the top of your game, they want you to feel your best and be your happiest.
"It’s OK to reach out, it’s okay to ask for help. Just stay positive, don’t be too tough on yourself and enjoy the process. You’ll look back on it and have learnt so much and you’ll remember it in the highest of highs. I think it’s important to go through, learn about yourself and use it for the future when other things arise. You have the tools, you know how to deal with it, it always makes you stronger."
The Harry Kane Foundation: Important work to be done
The Harry Kane Foundation was launched on Mental Health Day 2022, with that project forming part of the Bayern striker’s past, present and future plans. He told in May 2025: "I think just normalising the conversation is huge. Mental health is something I’ve related to throughout my career – the ups and downs – and I think a lot of people can relate to that. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. It can just be chatting with someone in a coffee shop. That’s how we start changing the narrative."
Kane added on his foundation, which will eventually take up more of his time once he hangs up playing boots for the final time: "We’re on a journey. We’re learning about mental health, what younger people are going through. We’ll just continue to have those conversations.
"Once I retire, I’ll probably be more involved with the Foundation. It’s good to get a head start now and really learn about it. I’m sure there’ll be other things we do in the future with other athletes or companies to see how much change we can make. But already, in the three years, I feel like we’ve come a long way and done some good stuff."
Getty/GOALHow Russo removed the source of her discomfort
Russo said in June 2025 of removing the sources of her discomfort: "I think you have to remember that they are the people you need to lean on in tough times. As I’ve got older, I understand more what works for me. In my first Euros I was on social media and I would have a look, have a scroll, and I got caught in a trap sometimes.
"Going into the World Cup, I completely came off everything and I had people to run my Instagram. I just focused on the tournament. Staying away from it and staying focused as a team is what works for me."
That mindset is allowing Russo to thrive on the field, while Kane has mastered the art of turning a deaf ear and blind eye to any of his detractors. There is, however, still much work to be done when it comes to helping those struggling in everyday life deal with the problems that they are facing.
