qatar December 11, 2022:
Deja vu once more. Once again England are out of a World Cup but, this time, it was in a desperately agonising quarter-final defeat. This time, more than any other time, and against the world champions France, it felt very different.
They were not outplayed. They did not retreat. Instead they lost a tie which they should have won, which they deserved to win and which will sear into Harry Kane – Harry Kane of all people – who missed the penalty kick that would have forced extra-time; Kane missed the penalty that would have confirmed him as England’s all-time record scorer, with 54 goals, one ahead of Wayne Rooney.
History beckoned but as the captain missed the television cameras cut to a grinning Kylian Mbappe. At the end Gareth Southgate wrapped his arms around Kane but he was in another place, staring into the distance.It felt incredibly cruel after a fine performance laced with controversy, also, with a series of decisions by Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio going against England.
They should have had a foul in the build-up to France’s first goal, they should have had another penalty, they should have played against 10-men with Theo Hernandez somehow not sent off after conceding the second spot-kick. Should have. Could have. Would have.
It may be the story of England football but this did feel particularly tough. Southgate had said whatever happened “the sun will still rise tomorrow”. It will. But it will not shine so brightly. It will feel bleak and overcast for England, for Kane, for their cruelly-robbed fans and for Southgate also as we await to see whether this is his last game in charge or whether he will fulfil his contract and go to the next European Championships in 18 months.
As the final whistle went the England manager raised his eyes heavenwards and must have wondered what kind of conspiracies there are against him. It will not be lost on Southgate that Kane joins him in the list of players who have missed monumental England penalties.
After Southgate’s failure in Euro 96, after England’s in Euro 2020 in a shoot-out in the final against Italy, there is this to digest. Penalties. Penalties. Why always penalties? So wild was Kane’s effort that it was reminiscent of how Chris Waddle skied the ball in the World Cup semi-final shoot-out against West Germany at Italia 90. It was the moment to deliver, to believe, and England appeared to do just that only to have it snatched away. Southgate admitted they fell short and he was right. If top-level sport is about fine margins then they went against England who are still to beat a “major nation” in the knock-out stages away from home.
But it is not time to stop the clocks – even if England have missed that 2022 deadline set at their training base St George’s Park to target this tournament. Southgate may go but it will be his decision. But if he wants to he should absolutely carry on because England did not fail; they did not throw it away. As Southgate promised they were bold and they went for it and fortune deserted them as they went down swinging.
Kane was excellent, as was Bukayo Saka, as was Declan Rice, as was Jordan Henderson and Jude Bellingham – with the 19-year-old the first to console Kane after his penalty flew over – even if the best player on the pitch turned out to be Antoine Griezmann and not Kylian Mbappe.
For the first-half Griezmann ran the show although he also walked a tightrope with a series of cynical fouls. But this referee… France’s opening goal was brilliantly struck by Aurelien Tchouameni, whipping the ball through Bellingham’s legs from 25 yards and beyond Jordan Pickford’s despairing dive. But what about the way Dayot Upamecano bundled Saka over to regain possession? How was that not picked up by the officials or the Var?
And then how were England not awarded a penalty when Kane once more got away from Upamecano who crudely brought him down just inside the area? There was a long Var check but play eventually continued. England again lined up 4-3-3, with an unchanged team from the 3-0 victory over Senegal and were good to Southgate’s promise of going “toe-to-toe” with France and walked off at half-time feeding on their sense of injustice.
It was Saka who was the key. He had the beating of the French defence and drew the first penalty when he dribbled across the area and was tripped by a panicky Tchouameni. This time it was given. And, my, did Kane have ice in his veins. He took his time, he even re-spotted the ball and he drove unerringly past his Tottenham team-mate Lloris to equal Rooney’s record
France responded. The game evened out but, gradually, England regained the ascendancy and so it was a shock when Olivier Giroud intervened. Pickford reacted excellently to parry his close-range volley but the respite proved brief as France recycled possession with Griezmann crossing. Giroud challenged Harry Maguire and in a blur the ball was in the net – off the forward’s head, off the defender’s shoulder. Giroud now also has 53 goals for his country – having broken Thierry Henry’s all-time record of 51 earlier in this World Cup..
Could England respond again? They did just that as Mason Mount chased down a long ball and with Hernandez barging him over. Only after another Var check was the penalty given and despite the fact Hernandez made no attempt to gain possession he was only cautioned. England were incensed.
But they had the chance. Kane placed the ball. Maybe, because it was Lloris, because he had already beaten the goalkeeper to his right, he was in two minds. This time he was not so cool and his shot flew high, high into the stands.
As the shock rippled around the stadium there was time. Eight minutes added time brought more hope and in the final seconds substitute Marcus Rashford took the ball for a free-kick 20 yards out. Fine margins again as he sent it inches, only inches, over. And England were out.
With Morocco waiting in the semi-finals, England’s players would have fancied their chances of a place in the final and a shot at footballing immortality. But for now, those dreams of 1966 will have to wait, and the hurt goes on.
