England captain Harry Kane has opened up about the pain of the World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, calling it the most difficult loss of his career. The 33-year-old striker reflected on the match, which saw England retreat into a back five under Thomas Tuchel and have just 12 per cent possession for 36 minutes.
Kane stated that the manner of the defeat made it hurt more than any other, including his penalty miss against France in Qatar. He felt England went against their identity and the team they aimed to be. The frustration also stemmed from England's uneven performances in the United States tournament, despite strong showings against Croatia and Mexico.
The England squad has begun a debrief at St George's Park this week, ahead of Saturday's match against World Cup winners Spain. Kane indicated that discussions are needed among players and coaching staff to understand how they can perform better in crucial moments and remain true to their playing style against top nations.
Kane, who has 85 goals for England and 121 appearances as an outfield player, is only four caps behind Peter Shilton's overall record. He could equal this in the next two weeks and surpass it in November. Despite his individual achievements, including being a Ballon d'Or contender after scoring 73 goals for club and country last season, the World Cup loss continues to linger.