In leading his team to victory against Mexico on Sunday, England captain Harry Kane left everything out on the pitch. Including, it seemed, his voice. He squeaked his way through a post-match interview, much to his embarrassment and the pundits’ delight. What had happened? Can he recover his voice (and authority) in time for the quarter-final?

What Happened?

Speaking to Kane shortly after the match, the BBC TV interviewer asked him what was going on over on the touchline.

‘Yeah, Jordan, errr…’. Kane’s voice came out in a squeak. He giggled sheepishly. ‘My voice has gone!’ He rubbed his neck, cleared his throat and tried again. ‘Hendo, just err, fell over there.’ Again, his voice broke into a high falsetto. He raced to the end of his answer. ’I think he’s OK, just, err, something to do with his arm.’

How had this giant among men been reduced to a red-faced teenager? And will he recover full vocal strength in time for Saturday’s clash with Norway?

How Did It Happen?

Kane and his team-mates had been enjoying a raucous sing-song (Oasis’ Wonderwall) with the England fans. The noise in the formidable Estadio Azteca was deafening, and Kane’s emotions were sky-high. He was singing at the very top of his voice. Untrained in good projection, he pushed his voice out from his throat rather than relaxing and using his diaphragm. As a result, he strained his vocal folds.

The Vocal Folds

The vocal folds are delicate. If they become swollen (whether through infection or strain), they don’t vibrate correctly, and the voice can come out as a croak or a whisper — or not at all.

What about Kane’s squeak? Instead of vibrating smoothly, his puffy vocal folds were fluttering in short, tense bursts. No wonder he was giggling like a teenager. Misshapen vocal folds also cause the unpredictable squeaks and breaks in a boy’s voice during puberty, when the larynx rapidly changes shape.

And If It Happens To Me…?

So what’s the treatment plan? Here at MSB Executive we came up with 3 steps to recovery:

1. Rest
   If Kane rests his voice, his vocal folds will recover, probably in a day or two. A word of warning: whispering strains rather than rests the vocal folds. Avoid whispering, Harry!
2. Hydrate
   Kane should make a habit of those hydration breaks! Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol (let’s assume he is anyway) and caffeine.
3. Steam
   Inhaling steam is our favourite way of being kind to the voice. Harry: place a bowl of hot water (careful — steam can scald) on a table. Put your face over the bowl, cover your head with a towel and breathe the steam for several minutes. This directly moistens the vocal folds. It will also provide a few soothing moments of peace in a busy tournament.

If Kane follows the MSB Executive treatment plan, his voice will return to normal. The instructions he calls out to teammates on Saturday will be met with action and not gales of laughter!