timeThis is not Harry’s game. It wasn’t his or England’s game either, and perhaps, once they rose from a painful and climactic night in Berlin, they would admit that something had indeed changed forever. Harry Kane took off his armband in the 61st minute, handed it to Kyle Walker and then ran off to swap places with Ollie Watkins in a strangely touching end to his summer. It’s not the role anyone imagined he would play in breaking his personal trophy drought and ending the curse on his country.
As Spain celebrated in the center circle, Kane stood impassively in the technical area, keeping his emotions in check before weaving around his battered and forlorn teammates. He had hoped to be crowned here for his life’s work, but on the day before the final, he proposed that all goals and personal honors exchanged for collective success must be retained.
The consideration for Gareth Southgate, or whoever replaces him, may be that England look livelier and fresher after a few weeks of his absence. Cole Palmer’s moment of brilliance may not have cost Spain the title they deserved, but his influence and the movements of the lively Watkins could be a sign of things to come.
Two and a half hours ago, the possibility of realization was still intact. The England team bus arrived at 7.29pm and snaked through the woodland and training grounds surrounding the Olympic Stadium, depositing residents at the doorstep. Shockingly, Kane came on first, five seconds ahead of everyone else, and walked towards the dressing room without looking back.
This is business, an impression that deepened during the pregame walk. By the time Kane was once again well ahead, leading England to absorb the match, Spain’s players were already mingling near the halfway line. When he brought them back again after a short circle on the turf, they were still there. The message from the captain seems clear: any sightseeing in this strange, historic, and unsettling site can wait.
In those few minutes, was Kane trying to imagine the moment that could have changed the entire narrative of his career? It was one of his favorite preparations: thinking touches, turns, flights to the near post, knee-high leaps and mid-air twists that set the record straight. Earlier this week he spoke of England’s “aura”, a sheen and control gained through knowledge of semi-finals and finals.
The problem for Kane is that his own sense of inevitability has diminished. Despite him, England haven’t gotten this far yet but they need new faces to solve old problems. Kane’s deputy Ivan Toney and the newly enshrined Watkins have done more on their Panorama tours, which feel significant and new.
By half-time there was an awkward feeling that England might need another such intervention. Overall, the game is planned: the wisdom is that the longer the programs stay level, the more likely they are to emerge as winners. Spain were essentially limited to aimless crosses, with Lamine Yamar looking vague and imprecise. But Kane didn’t really lead England’s charge and it was no surprise he didn’t touch the ball after 20 minutes had passed.
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When he did, he received a yellow card for his follow-up on Aymeric Laporte. The porridge was always thin for England, especially in those early moments when Spain were trying to discover whether things could be over soon. They needed to make the most of the burst of pressure they could muster, but Bukayo Saka spurned Kyle Walker’s invitation and Phil Foden was off-balance when free at the far post.
A dejected Jude Bellingham forced an error from Dani Carvajal before the final whistle, which ended with Kane having a shot on goal. He said that if he thought hard enough, he could remember every one of the 406 goals he scored in his career: There were certainly a lot of goals from this range, on the edge of the box, but Rodri blasted himself He crashed into a heavy block. All the paintings I had done on previous walks were splattered with red and navy blue spray.
From an England perspective, Kane at least inadvertently contributed to Rodri’s exit. Things seemed to be working out in their favour, and perhaps for the captain as well. But when Kane and Phil Foden neither pressed nor backed down, allowing substitute Martin Zubimendi to wander between them and create the movement that allowed Nico Williams to score the opener, they What are you thinking about?
There was an elephant in the room, with England supporters chanting Watkins’ name loudly in the 57th minute. Even so, Southgate’s reaction speed is still shocking. The poised, cruel joke of Wednesday night’s hero may have been Kane recognizing the gravity of the situation and acting with more purpose when his number came up than at any other time on the night. Five minutes after the game ended, England fans applauded as Kane’s name was read out among the six players to share the Euro 2024 Golden Boot. Yet the personal and collective grief here is palpable.
