‘At the final whistle’: Alan Shearer shares what Harry Kane did as his England teammates consoled him after World Cup exit

By Milo Clay

Alan Shearer has shared with The Athletic what Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane did as his England teammates consoled him after their World Cup exit. 

Kane suffered heartbreak last night as England were knocked out of the World Cup by France. 

The 29-year-old bagged their only goal of the game from the spot but blazed his second penalty over the bar with just six minutes left in the game. 

The Spurs talisman will be devastated after he had the opportunity to beat Hugo Lloris for a second time from 12 yards out and level the game up. 

Kane was visibly gutted at full-time as France sent England home after a 2-1 victory. Olivier Giroud’s goal proved to be the difference between the sides and Kane’s teammates consoled him after the final whistle. 

Shearer on Kane 

Shearer has told The Athletic that he spotted the England players congregating around Kane after the final whistle. 

Gareth Southgate also consoled the Three Lions captain but Shearer says Kane had a ‘blank’ look on his face. 

“At the final whistle, England players congregated around Harry to console him,” Shearer said. 

“Gareth Southgate draped his arm around his shoulders to speak to him. I recognised the blank look on his face; none of it will have registered. 

“It will have gone in one ear and out of the other. He’ll feel dreadful for his team-mates and the fans and his country, but at the same time he would be longing to say ‘f— off’ to everyone. 

“He’ll have wanted to sit with his family and sulk. He will hate life for a couple of weeks.” 

Kane boasts a brilliant record from the penalty spot but couldn’t manage to beat his club teammate Lloris for a second time in the game. 

England were largely the better side last night and will be hugely disappointed to exit the World Cup at the quarter-finals stage. The game seemed to be there for the taking in the second-half but Southgate’s men fell short in Qatar. 

Kane’s miss proved to be costly but the game certainly wasn’t lost at that moment. England had opportunities to take the lead in the second-half and Giroud’s winner was a soft goal to concede from their point of view.