Harry Kane says it is “too early” to judge whether he will play on for England until the 2030 World Cup after the painful semi-final defeat by Argentina, a game that sparked fury over Thomas Tuchel’s substitutions and a political row over a Falklands banner.
The defending champions produced a dramatic late comeback in Atlanta to win 2-1, setting up a final against Spain. England went ahead in the 55th minute when Anthony Gordon finished from Morgan Rogers’ cross, but late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez in the second minute of injury time meant the Three Lions missed out on their first men’s World Cup final appearance since 1966.
“Kane unsure if he will play until 2030 after Argentina's late 2-1 World Cup semi-final win.”
“There’s not much to say – everyone is gutted,” said Kane. “When you’re so close, 10 minutes away, and it slips out of your hands like that, obviously the lads are devastated.” The 32-year-old captain, who has scored six goals at this World Cup, added: “Four years is a long way away and I’m 33 in the summer, but as you see with Leo [Messi], he’s still performing at the highest level. I never want to put a limit on these things.”
Tuchel’s decision to substitute Gordon for an extra defender while holding a one-goal lead has been blamed by many fans. “Tuchel threw the game away!” one reader told The Independent, while others argued Argentina had already begun to dominate. Kane himself acknowledged England had struggled: “We did so well for 60 minutes… then we struggled to keep the ball, allowed them to create momentum. It’s been the missing piece for the past four or five tournaments.”
Off the pitch, No 10 backed calls for a Fifa investigation after Argentina players waved a banner referencing the Falklands. Business Secretary Peter Kyle said: “Fifa need to really take the action that deserves to happen.” The Standard reported that fury in Britain exploded at the players, with some facing calls for their visas to be revoked.
Celebrities watching from the stands looked deflated: Mick Jagger, 82, appeared crestfallen as Argentina scored the winner, while Louis Tomlinson, Millie Bobby Brown and the Beckhams were among the devastated stars.
England must now prepare for Saturday’s third-place play-off against France (22:00 BST), which will be live on the BBC. Kane, who could still win the Golden Boot, said: “For now, it’s about processing another tough loss.”