LONDON — England captain Harry Kane has described the team’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina as the most painful exit of his career. Reflecting on the 2-1 loss, Kane noted that the squad struggled to maintain their identity after taking the lead in the 55th minute, stating that the manner of the defeat made it particularly difficult to process.
“It felt like it wasn’t us as a team,” Kane said. “It wasn’t the team that we wanted to be and said we’d be. When you maybe go against your beliefs and you lose, it feels 10 times worse.” The striker, who is preparing for Saturday’s Nations League match against Spain at Wembley, emphasized that the group must now focus on identifying why they have struggled to perform at their best in the latter stages of major tournaments against top-tier nations.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel has addressed the squad at St George’s Park, urging a continuation of the team's established development. The preparations for the upcoming fixtures have been impacted by the withdrawals of Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford, and Tino Livramento. Kane expressed his support for Rice, who is managing ongoing nerve pain in his hamstring, noting, “Everyone has to look after themselves and I trust all the boys.”
Looking toward his own future, the 33-year-old is four caps away from matching Peter Shilton’s all-time England record of 125. Kane also confirmed that contract extension talks with Bayern Munich are nearing a conclusion. Beyond his club career, the forward expressed a long-term interest in potentially transitioning to the NFL as a kicker, suggesting such a move could coincide with a future stint in Major League Soccer.