England captain Harry Kane has admitted he does not know if he has played in his final World Cup after the Three Lions suffered a 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.
Argentina secured their place in the final after coming from behind to win 2-1. England had taken the lead in the second half through Anthony Gordon, but a goal from Enzo Fernandez and a late header from Lautaro Martinez sealed the victory for Argentina. This result continues Argentina's pursuit of a second successive World Cup title.
When asked about his future by Sky Germany, Kane stated, "It's still too early to say." He added that he takes things "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's captain Lionel Messi, who is still performing at a high level at 39, as an example of what might be possible.
Kane has scored six goals in the current tournament, bringing his total World Cup tally to a record 14 goals for England. He also made his 121st appearance for the Three Lions in the semi-final, surpassing Wayne Rooney as the second most-capped men's player. Kane is now four caps behind the all-time record holder, Peter Shilton.
"I'm just gutted," Kane said in his post-match assessment. "Gutted for the boys, gutted for everyone. The England staff, the fans." He felt the team played well for the majority of the match but erred by trying to protect a narrow lead, which he stated is "isn't enough" at this level. He described the team's efforts as giving "every last bit of running, sweat, blood, tears," making the semi-final loss particularly difficult.
Kane reflected on the tactical shift after taking the lead. "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." However, he noted a change after England went ahead, with Argentina increasing their attacking pressure. "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." He stated that the team's message was to continue pressing for another goal, but after conceding, they struggled to regain momentum.
