Kane: Exiting in this way is very painful, here's what we need

England captain Harry Kane expressed his deep sadness after the team's 2-1 loss to Argentina in the 2026 World Cup semi-final, confirming they were close to reaching the final.

Kane stated in an interview with BBC One: "I feel a great deal of frustration for the players, the coaching staff, and the fans. We played well for most of the match, but after going 1-0 up, it felt like we were just trying to hold on to the score, and that's not enough at this level."

He added: "We have worked hard to get here, and the players have given everything they have in effort, sweat, and tears, so to exit this way is very painful."

The England captain spoke about the team's decline in performance after scoring the first goal, saying: "We struggled to press the ball. In the first half and the beginning of the second half, we pressed well and controlled the game, but after the goal, we found ourselves under attack time and again."

He continued: "Whether due to Argentina advancing with more players or our inability to match them man-for-man, the pressure increased on us continuously. The players made many interventions and objections, but in the end, it wasn't enough."

When asked if the match was beyond the team's physical and mental capabilities, Kane said: "I don't know. The players were ready for any moment in the game. After we took the lead, the message was to look for a second goal, but after Argentina's goals, we tried to come back without being able to regain momentum."

Kane also pointed out that the England national team exited the tournament with several important lessons, adding: "We had many good moments in this tournament, played great matches, and reached the semifinals once again."

He concluded his remarks by saying: "We are very close, but we still lack that final piece that decides matters in the later stages of the tournament. Such competitions drain you physically and mentally, and we have shown our strength over the past weeks, but we still need that final step to reach the title."