World Cup

HARRY KANE will keep on believing. He has no choice.But in his heart of hearts, the England captain knows his best chance of glory with the national team has probably gone.
England captain Harry Kane missed a penalty against France in the quarter-finalsCredit: Getty
And with it, perhaps, his best opportunity of winning a major trophy in his career.
Kane will blame himself after skying his second penalty of the evening over the bar.
As this World Cup knockout stage has shown, spot-kicks can make a hero or villain of anyone.
Kane will pick himself up, dust himself down and go again.
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But this was a bitter blow for captain and country.
Kane claimed before the Last 16 clash with Senegal that he and the team would never be in better shape to end however many years of hurt it is now.
Back then, it sounded like a call to arms.
Now it feels like an epitaph for the Three Lions’ latest tournament disappointment, Gareth Southgate’s England and even for Kane’s career.
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Harry Kane may have missed the chance to win a World Cup with EnglandCredit: Reuters
Harry Kane could not stop England losing to France
His first penalty put him level with Wayne Rooney on 53 England goals. He will go on to break that record, Jimmy Greaves’ landmark for Tottenham and possibly Alan Shearer’s tally in the Premier League.
Great those achievements would be, they are not the same as winning a World Cup.
Kane wants to emulate Bobby Moore by lifting a shiny hunk of metal. If he could do it by also matching Geoff Hurst’s final hat-trick, so match the better.
But winning is the thing. And he still hasn’t done it.
It was 40 years since England had met France in the World Cup.
Ron Greenwood’s squad travelled to Spain with the nation humming along to their naff but catchy tune.
But Tottenham superstar Harry kane remains an all-time England greatCredit: Getty
But it was here in Qatar that you felt, this time, more than any other time, an England team might get it right.
Even before Morocco’s shock win over Portugal, there was good reason to believe Southgate’s men could dare to dream.
There was no outstanding team in the tournament. The closest things to it were Brazil, who had also gone out.
And France. Unfortunately.
Kane’s equaliser moved him one ahead of Giroud.
But the former Arsenal and Chelsea striker’s winner nudged him ahead again and, more importantly, a step closer to winning back-to-back World Cups.
England were knocked out of the World Cup quarter-finals by FranceCredit: Getty
At 36 years old, Giroud at least gives his former Premier League rival  hope that his day will come.
On the other hand, the France No9 also shows Kane what might have been – and could still be – if he hadn’t remained loyal to Tottenham.
When major prizes continue to elude him at Arsenal, he left for Chelsea and ended up with a Champions League winner’s medal.
After being deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, off he went to Italy and won Serie A with AC Milan.
But if Giroud goes on to win a second World Cup, he will have sealed a place in history that Kane – and let’s face it, any England player of all time – can only dream of.
France’s captain Hugo Lloris has shown that playing for Tottenham need not be a barrier to glory.
England star Harry Kane can still win major honours despite the World Cup sorrowCredit: PA
Kane beat his club skipper with his first penalty, but could not convert the second.
In the first half, Lloris stopped one Kane shot with his body, and pushed away another.
These are the margins between success and failure, the great and the very very good.
Whatever happens in the future, Kane will be remembered for his goals, his drive and his relentless desire to keep on improving and adapting.
Maybe Tottenham will improve enough, soon enough, to give him the chance to compete for the biggest prizes, as someone of his talent and dedication deserves.
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Perhaps everything will finally come together for England at Euro 2024, which will kick off in little more than 18 months’ time.
But in the desolation of defeat last night, it felt like something significant slipped away, for captain and country. More

PORTUGAL boss Fernando Santos has declared he has NO REGRETS over not starting Cristiano Ronaldo in the quarter-final defeat to Morocco. Ronaldo and Co saw their World Cup dreams crash and burn as Morocco earned a 1-0 win to progress into the semi-final.
Fernando Santos remained defiant over his decision to not start Cristiano RonaldoCredit: Getty
Ronaldo came on as a second half substituteCredit: AP
But Santos struck a defiant tone and doubled down on his decision to not start Ronaldo.
Speaking after the game, he said: “I do not regret (leaving Ronaldo on the bench).
“It wouldn’t change anything, in terms of the team I can’t be thinking with my heart.
“I used the team that played really well against Switzerland and there was no reason to change it (against Morocco).
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“The strategic decision that I had to make was one of the hardest, but I can’t think with my heart, I have to think with my head.
“It’s not that Ronaldo is no longer a great player, that has nothing to do with it.”
The 37-year-old’s Wag Georgina Rodriguez slammed the decision by Santos.
Taking to social media she raged: “Today your friend and coach made a bad decision. That friend for whom you have so many words of admiration and respect.
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“The same as when you got into the game, he saw how everything changed, but it was too late.
The best player in the world, his most powerful weapon, cannot be underestimated.
“You can’t stand up for someone who doesn’t deserve it either. Life gives us lessons.
“Today we have not lost, we have learned.”
Ronaldo, who also sat on the bench in the 6-1 drubbing of Switzerland, came on shortly after half-time to try and force an equaliser.
However, he was unable to affect such a change and was pictured crying as he went down the tunnel after the game.
Ronaldo is his nations all-time leading goalscorer with 118 goals in 196 games.
But with his nation’s exit in what could be his final World Cup, he has failed to score in any of his eight knockout games at the tournament.
Now Morocco will face France after they beat England 2-1 in the other quarter-final.
Ronaldo was in tears at the end of the gameCredit: ITV
Georgina Rodriguez looked on from the standsCredit: AFP More

GARY NEVILLE hit out at World Cup referee Wilton Sampaio in a scathing attack after England’s loss to France. Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions were dumped out of the tournament in the quarter-final stages following a bitter 2-1 defeat.
Gary Neville hit out at World Cup referee Wilton Sampaio in a scathing attackCredit: Rex
But Sampaio was slated for questionable decisions throughout the match and faced Neville’s wrath after the final whistle.
He told ITV: “You see French defending it was startling, we knew it was the weak point in their team but I don’t think we knew they’d make those poor decision in those types of areas.
“The referee had a nightmare game, an absolute joke of a referee.
“I’m not saying that was all down to England’s defeat because that’s making excuses, he was just a bad referee, rank bad.”
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England fans fumed after Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka appeared to be brought down by defender Dayot Upamecano with no punishment.
Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni would just moments later open the scoring with a stunning strike from outside the box.
Sampaio was again under fire after Harry Kane was brought down by Upamecano and protested for a penalty.
The ref was not interested and neither was VAR – but that was not the end of the penalty drama.
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Saka was brought down in the second half and Harry Kane stepped up to score past Tottenham team-mate Hugo Lloris in the France goal.
Ex-Arsenal and Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud put the 2018 reigning champions back in the lead with an excellent header.
But England were awarded another penalty after Theo Hernandez shoved Chelsea’s Mason Mount in the box.
Sampaio amazingly waved off protests but after a VAR check, he changed his mind.
Hernandez escaped a red card despite Jude Bellingham & Co clearly feeling a clear goalscoring opportunity was denied.
Kane once more stepped up but this time blazed over as England were cruelly dumped out with France progressing to play Morocco.
Harry Kane misses from the penalty spotCredit: Reuters More

JORDAN PICKFORD ushered away a camera operator as they tried to film Harry Kane’s penalty agony.The England captain missed a late spot-kick to equalise in Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against France.
Jordan Pickford ushered away a camera operator who was filming Harry Kane’s agony
Kane was devastated after missing a penalty in England’s defeat to France
It saw the defending champs cling on for a 2-1 win, setting up a semi-final against Morocco.
And devastated England players, including Kane, were overcome with emotion at the final whistle.
One camera operator decided to get a close-up of skipper Kane, who scored a penalty earlier on, as he leaned on his haunches with his head in his hands.
But teammate Pickford was having none of it.
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The goalkeeper angrily span around when he realised what was going on.
And he forced the camera operator to walk away from Kane with a wave of his hands while saying: “A bit of respect, please.”
Pickford himself came under the spotlight earlier in the game.
That’s after conceding a long-range shot from Aurelien Tchouameni after just 17 minutes.
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It prompted no-nonsense pundit Roy Keane to criticise Pickford’s efforts between the sticks.
He said: “Brilliant strike, keeper could he do better? Yeah, I think so.”
But fans were divided over Keane’s analysis of Pickford.
One said: “Agree with Keane, Pickford could do better. Could move his feet quicker and get across.”
Another quipped: “I just know Roy Keane is fuming at Jordan Pickford not saving that.
“And he’d be right, because Pickford should be saving that.”
One countered: “Let’s see Roy do better.”
Another added: “How’s keane blaming pickford for that? This guy is miserable.” More

ENGLAND fans were left in stitches after spotting Steve McClaren’s doppelganger in the stands during the 2022 World Cup quarter-final clash with France.The Three Lions suffered another World Cup heartbreak as they were eliminated from the competition after losing 2-1 to the defending world champions at the Al Bayt Stadium.

Steve McClaren’s lookalike was spotted in the crowd during England’s clash with FranceCredit: Rex
The Tricolores opened the scoring with a long-range stunner by Aurelien Tchouameni on 17 minutes before Harry Kane equalised from the penalty spot after 54 minutes.
The reigning world champions regained the lead in the 78th minute as Olivier Giroud extended his scoring record to 53 goals.
Tottenham superstar Kane had the chance to equalise with another spot-kick but sent the ball way over the crossbar.
However, England fans still found a reason to lift their spirits as they spotted former Three Lions manager McClaren’s lookalike for the second time after the Last-16 clash with Senegal.
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The fan was pictured going wild with the rest of the crowd while Gareth Southgate’s men pushed for a second goal that would have sent the game to extra-time.
And he held the same World Cup trophy replica he had during the 3-0 victory over Senegal.
One fan tweeted: “That Steve McClaren!”
Another posted: “He’s been on a few times now, I think he looks like Steve McLaren’s long lost brother.”
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A third wrote: “STEVE MCLAREN GOING MENTAL IN THE CROWD.”
This one said: “Melted, Steve McLaren is in the crowd.”
And that one tweeted: “There’s f*****g Steve McClaren again.”
Manchester United assistant coach McClaren infamously took over as England boss from Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2006.
But the former Newcastle manager was sacked within a year after failing to qualify for Euro 2008. More