Harry Kane questioned why England were unable to perform against Argentina when celebrating their fifth goal against France with team-mates, a lip reader has claimed. Thomas Tuchel's side won the World Cup bronze match on Saturday evening by a staggering 6-4 scoreline.
Match Details
Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and Jude Bellingham all scored once while Bukayo Saka bagged a hat-trick. Saka was one of eight changes with Ivan Toney among those in the starting XI. Kane was subsequently left on the bench and remained an unused substitute but he still joined in the celebrations.
For Saka's third and England's fifth, Kane was the first over to congratulate the former and he was then spotted sending a clear message to his England team-mates. According to lip reader Nicola Hickling, via Covers, Kane was thrilled with the display but couldn't help questioning why it hadn't come together against Argentina.
Kane's Message
"Alright. That was some great work. It's a shame we didn't play like this the other day," he said, per Hickling. The fifth goal calmed any nerves over a potential France comeback from 4-0 down.
A Kylian Mbappe double and Bradley Barcola strike in just 18 second-half minutes had brought Didier Deschamps' side firmly back into the game. Mbappe subsequently moved ahead of Lionel Messi in both the Golden Boot race and the all-time scoring charts with his brace. Ousmane Dembele later scored off the bench after Saka's hat-trick goal and Bellingham also grabbed a goal as a substitute deep into added time.
Impact of Saka's Hat-Trick
The three strikes from Saka meant he became only the fourth England player to bag a World Cup hat-trick and also prompted questions over Tuchel's choice to leave him on the bench against Argentina. England endured one of the most devastating losses in the country's history on Wednesday, as the holders netted twice late on to clinch a 2-1 victory and book their place in the final.
Anthony Gordon had put England in front after 55 minutes, a lead that held until the 85th minute. As England looked to hang on against Argentina and secure a 1-0 triumph, Enzo Fernández levelled with a strike from the edge of the area. Messi then floated a cross to Lautaro Martinez in injury time, who thundered his header into the net.
Kane's Future
Hopes of a first World Cup final appearance since 1966 were crushed within moments, bringing England's remarkable run to an abrupt end. The defeat also carried particular weight for Kane, who will be 36 by the time the next World Cup gets under way in 2030.
Kane's age and heartbreak sparked speculation over a possible international retirement, but the England skipper brushed aside such talk, pointing to 39-year-old Messi as a source of inspiration. "It's too early to talk about that," Kane said. "Me as a person, it's always about taking it year by year and how I feel. The national team is my pride and joy. It's what I love to do most, more than anything. Obviously, four years is a long way away. I'm 33 in the summer. But, as you see on the other end with Leo (Messi) there, he's still performing at the highest level. I never want to put a limit on these things. I'll address every situation as they come, but for now, it's about processing another tough loss with this team."
