England captain Harry Kane described a feeling of "emptiness" and "devastation" on Instagram following his team's heartbreaking World Cup semifinal loss to Argentina on Wednesday. The 2-1 defeat, which saw England concede two goals in six minutes late in the match, ended their bid to reach the final and extended their World Cup title drought to 60 years, with their last victory in 1966.
"No words are big enough right now to overcome this empty feeling in the stomach," Kane wrote. "We were close, really close to another final but it wasn’t enough. We’ve given everything over these last seven weeks and to fall short is hard to take!"
Kane acknowledged the high expectations placed on the team, noting that they have been close to reaching a final for eight years but have "missed that final piece of the jigsaw."
Despite the painful exit, Kane expressed pride in his teammates' performance throughout the tournament. "I’m so proud of the boys and what we have shown throughout this tournament – some tough games and tough environments that we have overcome," he stated. "Some memories that will stay with us players and I’m sure you fans for a long long time! Going for glory doesn’t always mean you will get it."
Kane, who has been a standout performer for England across three World Cups, tallied six goals and an assist in this tournament entering the third-place match against France. His World Cup total now stands at 14 goals and four assists.
"Thank you to every single fan that travelled and showed their support in the stadiums," Kane added. "Thank you to every fan back home for believing in us. Thank you to the boys and staff for everything you have given. As always, win or lose, we learn and go again!"