Harry Kane needed to struggle again the tears after England crashed out of the World Cup towards France on Sunday morning.
There was “utter devastation” for the England group as the ultimate whistle was blown — and the heartbreak was all summed up in a single picture.
England keeper Jordan Pickford and substitute Kieran Trippier have been seen racing over to help Kane and defend him from TV cameras as he collapsed to the turf.
Gareth Southgate’s aspect have been defeated 2-1 because the reigning world champions clinched their place within the semi-finals — the place they may face Morocco after the African nation knocked out Portugal.
Captain Kane blew a late alternative to attract England degree and ship the sport to extra-time when he blazed a spot-kick over the bar, The Solar studies
That was after he had scored an earlier penalty to equal Wayne Rooney’s report because the nation’s all-time high scorer.
And after the whistle he slumped to the turf in a crouched place and introduced a hand over his face as he struggled to familiarize yourself with England’s exit.
Various his heartbroken colleagues raced over to him whereas supervisor Southgate, who famously missed a penalty on the Euros in 1996, additionally gave him a hug and provided some phrases to his talisman.
France goalie Hugo Lloris, a teammate of Kane’s at Tottenham, additionally went to console the striker earlier than the Three Lions skipper trudged off in the direction of the dressing-room.
England keeper Jordan Pickford was additionally noticed ushering a cameraman away as they tried to get shut and movie Kane in his second of despair.
BBC correspondent Juliette Ferrington noticed the scene unfold.
“Harry Kane’s teammates politely requested for the digital camera operators to maneuver away from him as a result of he was inconsolable,” she stated.
“Jude Bellingham had his shirt over his face and was mendacity on his again earlier than he obtained to his ft. When Rashford’s free-kick went over Harry Kane regarded to the sky.”
Elsewhere, teenage midfield sensation Jude Bellingham was in tears and his new pal Jordan Henderson was pressured to place an arm round his shoulder to consolation him. The Borussia Dortmund man was then noticed nonetheless crying as he too headed down the tunnel.
Henderson was the primary star to courageous the cameras, telling ITV: “It’s arduous now to sum it up, it’s arduous to search out the appropriate phrases.
“I assumed we gave all the pieces within the recreation, we have been disillusioned to go 1-0 down however we confirmed the character and mentality to maintain going and discover the equaliser.
“We gave it all the pieces and sadly it wasn’t our evening.”
And on Kane’s penalty miss, he added: “We all know what number of penalties Harry has scored for us, what number of objectives he has contributed to even get us right here.
“He might be stronger for this sooner or later. He’s a world-class striker and our captain, he’ll bounce again.”
Southgate about Kane: “He’s been unbelievable for us and so dependable in these conditions. And we wouldn’t be right here with out him.
“In the long run objectives are decisive however I’ve stated to the gamers that I don’t suppose they might have given anymore.
Congratulations to France, they know that they’ve been in a hell of a recreation.”
England’s highest-profile pundits and commentators have been surprisingly mild of their evaluation of the outcome and have been principally filled with reward for the group.
Additionally they shared Kane’s heartbreak.
Legendary soccer commentator Martin Tyler stated on SBS: “Kane seems to the bottom in whole dismay. He can’t imagine what he’s performed”.
Sky Sports activities’ Peter Smith stated: “Kane seems completely devastated. There are tears in his eyes. It’s arduous to imagine he blazed that penalty over. He’s normally so good from 12 yards”.
— This story initially appeared on thesun.co.uk and has been republished with permission
