England captain Harry Kane admitted he is unsure whether he has played in his final World Cup after the team's semi-final defeat to Argentina.
Kane, who will turn 33 later this month, had been hoping to lead England to their first World Cup final since 1966. England had taken a 1-0 lead in the second half through Anthony Gordon, but Argentina secured a 2-1 victory with goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez.
When asked about his future by Sky Germany, Kane stated, "It's still too early to say." He added that he evaluates his career "year by year and see how I feel," emphasizing his love for playing for England. However, he acknowledged that "four years is a long time."
Kane pointed to Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who is still performing at a high level at age 39, as an example of what might be possible. "Then again, you can see someone like Messi still performing at the highest level even at an older age. I honestly don't know," Kane said.
Kane has scored six goals in the current tournament, bringing his World Cup total to a record 14 for England. He also earned his 121st cap, surpassing Wayne Rooney for second-most appearances for the Three Lions, and has scored 85 goals for his country. He is four caps behind Peter Shilton's all-time record.
Reflecting on the match, Kane expressed his devastation. "I'm just gutted," he stated. "Gutted for the boys, gutted for everyone. The England staff, the fans. We played a good game for the large majority of it. When we went 1-0 up, we seemed to just try and hold on which at this level isn't enough."
He further elaborated on the team's tactical approach after scoring, noting, "First half and start of the second half we pressed them well. We put them under loads of pressure, especially high up the pitch which allowed us to win balls, control the game a little bit better. After the goal, whether that was them putting more players forward or us not being able to match them man for man. It was just wave after wave and we were trying to hold on. Lads were putting blocks in but in the end it wasn't enough."
Kane concluded by emphasizing the team's effort, saying, "The lads have given every last bit of running, sweat, blood, tears. To fall short like we did today is just gutting."