Harry Kane expresses his helplessness: ‘Messi is too good, England tried to stop him but couldn’t.’
England captain Harry Kane insists the team did everything they could to stop Lionel Messi, but still couldn’t prevent the Argentinian genius from sparking a comeback in the 2026 World Cup semi-final.
Harry Kane admires Messi.
England were eliminated in the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup after a 2-1 defeat to Argentina. Harry Kane and his teammates led until the 84th minute before collapsing due to two late goals. Enzo Fernandez equalized with a spectacular long-range shot past Jordan Pickford in the 85th minute, and Lautaro Martinez sealed the victory with a close-range header in the 90+2 minute.
The common thread between the two goals is that they were both initiated by Lionel Messi . The 39-year-old striker drifted to the right wing and created space for Enzo to score with a long-range shot using the inside of his right foot, and then he himself delivered a perfect cross with his weaker foot for Lautaro to score.
The England team couldn’t stop Messi.
PHOTO: REUTERS
At the 2026 World Cup, Messi scored 8 goals and provided 4 assists. He was involved in 12 of Argentina’s goals, surpassing his own record from the 2022 World Cup. Messi is leading the scoring charts and is second in the assists charts.
According to Harry Kane, the England team understood Messi’s danger. “For most of the game, we controlled him quite well. England did everything to stop Messi, but as always, if Messi had the ball in the final third, he always made a difference. This time was no different. That’s why Messi is great,” Kane shared.
Speaking to the press after the match, coach Thomas Tuchel said that England lost because they “played too passively.” Coach Tuchel explained that he had to strengthen the defense and play with a five-defender formation because England lost too many aerial duels.
“After scoring, we couldn’t continue to put pressure on the opponent. Argentina kept pressing, attacking wave after wave. My teammates threw themselves into defending, but ultimately it wasn’t enough. In the first half and the beginning of the second, we caused them a lot of trouble, winning the ball back many times, but we should have controlled the game better.”
Kane admires Messi.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“We played well for most of the game, went 1-0 up and tried to hold onto that advantage. But at this level, it’s not enough. The players fought with all their sweat, blood and tears, so to be eliminated in this way is truly bitter,” Kane said.
England’s plans were disrupted.
After taking the lead in the 55th minute, England only had possession for a mere 12%, compared to Argentina’s 88%. The “Three Lions” completely ceded control of the game, allowing Argentina to play freely.
In the second half, manager Tuchel also made several substitutions for the defense. Striker Anthony Gordon left the field to make way for defender Ezri Konsa, winger Reece James was replaced by defender Dan Burn, and then defensive midfielder Declan Rice left the field to make way for Nico O’Reilly.
Coach Tuchel was criticized for being too cautious and submissive, which led to England’s defeat. However, Kane argued that the team’s initial plan was to sit back and defend to protect the scoreline.
Kane disappointed at missing out on his World Cup dream.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“When we were leading, our message was to keep attacking to find a second goal. But after Argentina equalized, we tried to regain control of the game but couldn’t get back the momentum,” Kane emphasized. “We had many good games in the tournament. We came very close to our goal, but we were still missing a piece in the final stage. Tournaments like this wear you down both physically and mentally. For the past six or seven weeks, the whole team has given everything in terms of effort, character, and spirit, but we were still lacking a little something to reach the finish line.”
When asked about the possibility of playing in the 2030 World Cup, Kane said he had not yet made a decision. “It’s still too early to talk about that. I always look at things year by year and see how I feel. I still love wearing the England shirt,” Kane shared.
The England captain also sees Messi as a role model to strive for. “Of course, four years is a very long time, but seeing Lionel Messi still playing at the highest level at this age gives me a lot of motivation. For now, I need time to get over the disappointment after this defeat. We gave our all, but in the end, it wasn’t enough,” Kane concluded.
