defeat in the EURO final - Kane's Title Trauma prolongs England's wait for resolution
With his head bowed and shoulders slumped, Harry Kane paraded past the EM Cup, daring not to cast even a fleeting glance at the object of his desire. The only silver he could touch that evening in Berlin was the Silver Medal around his neck. Again.
England's unquenchable longing for a title, the "58 years of hurt" (58 Jahre Schmerz) - it all weighed heavily on Harry Kane in the moment of England's heartbreaking defeat in the European Championship Final against Spain. And it weighed on him in particular.
"This is a missed opportunity. It's not easy to get to these finals. When you do, you have to take it - and we didn't," said the striker for FC Bayern Munich. "It's extremely painful and will take a long time to heal."
Even after some sleep, the sorrow had not abated. "It's heartbreaking that we couldn't reach our goal, for which we had worked so hard," wrote the 30-year-old at the short messaging service X. But Kane found fighting words once again: "We'll pick ourselves up, shake off the dust, and be ready to fight in the English jersey again."
No Victory Parade
The disappointment was all the greater because Kane and Co. had genuinely believed they were ripe for England's next major title since the World Cup triumph in 1966. But instead of the hoped-for redemption, they were met with crushing disappointment through the deserved 1:2.
Plans by the new Labour government for a victory parade for the Three Lions in the capital London on Tuesday, as reported by the "Times," could remain in the drawer. The hopes of the English for a public holiday called by football-enthusiastic Prime Minister Keir Starmer were left unfulfilled. Football would not be coming home, the prophecy in the song "Three Lions" ("Football's Coming Home") now sounded more like mockery.
Kane's Curse
The applause of the hotel staff, who lined up for the Vice-European Champions as Kane left the team quarters in Berlin on Monday, could not console him. The kindly invitation from King Charles III., "to keep your head high," held little comfort. And not at all the title of the best EM goalscorer, which he shares with five others. The striker star wanted to finally end his personal title drought and that of his country in his adopted homeland - but instead, he only prolonged it.
Because Kane had led the Three Lions in the lost European Championship Final three years ago at home in Wembley Stadium against Italy and had not won a team title in his career, his winning spirit was questioned. "Harry Kane's curse" (beIN Sports), "Harry Kane's painful search" (Sun), "Harry Kane makes a sad figure" (Guardian) - the English media showed little mercy towards the Bayern pro. "The Guardian" even jabbed: "The captain acted more determined at his substitution than at any other moment of the evening."
Klopp for Southgate?
He still trusted him from the start, and Southgate is criticized by the media and experts in hindsight. However, the trainer did not want to justify his lineup and tactics any more than he wanted to comment on his personal future. "I need to speak with the right people. That's not for now," Southgate said.
The trend is going in the direction of a change on the trainer's position after eight years, two European Championship finals, and a World Cup semifinal. Even though the team captains Kane ("We love the trainer") and Jude Bellingham ("I have nothing but respect for Gareth") once again spoke in favor of their trainer.
But who could manage this billion-dollar team to make its enormous potential come to life on the pitch and perhaps bring the World Cup title in two years? Former national player Gary Lineker suggests Jürgen Klopp. The English Football Association should "do everything" to get the former coach of Liverpool out of his self-imposed sabbatical: "He will have taken a little rest."
Rest and distance are needed now by Kane as well. "It's just a huge disappointment at the moment," he said dejectedly. He would have loved to lift the Henri-Delaunay Cup under the cheers of Prince William and his son George in the Berlin night sky - and thus put all doubts to rest. But it remains a curiosity: The best possible central striker in the world, who shoots goals for England and his club at will, does not bring titles to his teams.
- Despite his best efforts in the European Championship Final against Spain, Harry Kane and England suffered a 1:2 defeat, marking another occasion where they fell short of winning the EM Cup in Berlin.
- Kane's post-match sentiments were shared by many in the team, with FC Bayern Munich striker acknowledging that it was a missed opportunity to clinch the title.
- The disappointing outcome in Munich brought back memories of England's defeat in the 2019 European Championship Final at Wembley Stadium against Italy, adding to Kane's personal title drought.
- As the vice-champions, the English team departed from Berlin with the prospect of their long-awaited victory parade in London cancelled, leaving fans and players alike to process the heartbreaking loss.
- In the wake of the defeat, Kane and his fellow Three Lions teammates faced harsh criticism from the English media, with outlets questioning his winning spirit and labeling his performance in the losing final as disappointing.
- The loss of the European Championship title in Munich cast a shadow over Kane's career, raising questions about his ability to deliver titles to his teams, both at the international and club levels.
- Amidst the debate surrounding the future of England's manager Gareth Southgate, former national player Gary Lineker proposed bringing in Jürgen Klopp to lead the English team and make their enormous potential a reality on the pitch.
