Jan Vertonghen likens Harry Kane to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as he looks ahead to World Cup clash... and targets semi-finals for Belgium

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Jan Vertonghen says that his Tottenham team-mate Harry Kane is now behind only the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo when assessing the world's best strikers, as he prepares to face him in this summer's World Cup.

With Belgium among the favourites for the tournament, Vertonghen will be doing all he can to ensure Kane, currently out with an ankle injury, is subdued for the group game against England in Kaliningrad on June 28.

'For me Harry is one of the top two strikers in the world because he has all the ability,' said Vertonghen, whose Belgian team faces Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. 'You can have a plan against Harry and he will find something. Hopefully England and us have already qualified (by June 28) and he gets a rest.'

Harry Kane will be spearheading England's line at this summer's World Cup in Russia

And Vertonghen says that this is the year an extraordinary generation of Belgian players finally have to deliver - with reaching the World Cup semi-final their initial goal.

'We have players like Vincent Kompany, Tomas Vermaelen, myself and Toby Alderweireld, who are around about our 30s when you should be at your best and I think we are now.

'This could be the year where we need to reward ourselves. We have had great compliments before and now everyone knows what we can do. With Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard or all the other guys where we are at, we should reward ourselves.'

Kane (right) will be marked by team-mate Jan Vertonghen when England face Belgium

Belgium have disappointed in recent years, going out in the quarter finals to Argentina in 2014 and losing to Wales at the same stage at Euro 2016. And Vertonghen is aware the Belgian public now expect more from this gilded generation.

'You can ask 10 teams and they all want to win it – Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Germany, France. England are up there for me. 

'To start, (we need to make) the semi-finals but you have to be lucky with the draw. Semi-finals is a realistic goal and then hopefully more.' 

Vertonghen is weary of facing Kane and admitted he hopes the striker will be rested