Harry Maguire has labelled Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane as ‘world-class’ after his penalty miss played a part in England getting knocked out of the Qatar World Cup to France on Saturday.
With England losing 2-1 and less than ten minutes left on the lock, England were handed their second spot-kick of the night.
After the England captain had comfortably beaten his Spurs teammate Hugo Lloris in between the sticks earlier in the second half to levelled the scores, an even bigger pressure moment now awaited.
Kane went the same way as he did during his first penalty, to Lloris’s right, but proceeded to boot his second spot-kick, into orbit and back down to north London.
Whilst it wasn’t a penalty shootout knocking England out of a World Cup, it’s a penalty playing its part again, as Manchester United’s Maguire defended his captain, as he told beIN SPORTS (10/12/22 at 9:45 pm).
“H (Kane) will be really disappointed, as are we all,” said Maguire. “H is a magnificent player. World-class player. World-class striker and he is our leader. He is our captain. And he will be back.
“He will pick himself up. And the next penalty he gets, then I am sure he will stick it in the back of the net, that’s football. Tournament football can be cruel. It’s decided on big moments.”
PENALTY HEARTACHE FOR ENGLAND
It’s the same old story. Whether it’s in Italia 90, in the Euros (twice) on home soil or against Portugal. Penalties have once again knocked England out of a major competition.
Kane usually puts away these spot-kicks in his sleep. He has previously eaten up these spot-kicks in his sleep.
But that’s what pressure does, as Gareth Southgate and co. underachieve by bowing out at the quarter-finals of football’s biggest stage.
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