Harry Kane, England's star, commented on the Three Lions' loss of the chance to compete for the 2026 World Cup title, after a 1-2 defeat to Argentina in the semi-finals.

Kane wrote on his X account: "No words are big enough right now to overcome this deep feeling of sadness... We were close, very close to reaching another final, but it wasn't enough. We gave everything we had over the past seven weeks, and that's why stopping short of the goal is hard to accept."

He added: "I know the expectations are high, and that is deserved, as we have been knocking on the door of success for 8 years, but we are still missing that final piece of the success puzzle. We now need to step back a bit, absorb what happened, and then find a way to become better. I am very proud of what the players have done and what we have shown throughout this tournament, after overcoming difficult matches and complex atmospheres."

He continued: "There are memories that will stay with us players, and I am confident they will also stay with you fans for many years. The pursuit of glory does not always mean you will achieve it. You have to fight for it, experience falls, then get up again and keep trying, and that is what we will do. There is no other way but to continue believing in ourselves and keep fighting."

He concluded: "Thank you to every fan who traveled to support us and gave their backing in the stands. And thank you to every fan back home who believed in us and supported us. And thank you to the players and coaching staff for everything you have given. And as always, whether we win or lose, we learn and come back again."

No words are big enough right now to overcome this empty feeling in the stomach. We were close, really close to another final but it wasn’t enough. We’ve given everything over these last 7 weeks and to fall short is hard to take!

I know the expectations are high and rightly so,… pic.twitter.com/exz5Pe95hb

— Harry Kane (@HKane) July 16, 2026