Harry Kane has spoken about the pain of England's 2-1 semi-final defeat to Lionel Messi's Argentina at this summer's FIFA World Cup, a result that ended his hopes of reaching a first World Cup final. The Three Lions conceded twice in the closing stages of the tie, with Messi setting up both goals, before England went on to beat France 6-4 in the third-place play-off to finish third in the tournament.
Speaking to Spanish outlet MARCA, Kane reflected on the disappointment of that night and the respect he holds for Messi. "Obviously, that day was tough for me. A difficult moment to be eliminated like that. But I have so much respect for Messi. I've seen him grow as a footballer. I think he's simply an incredible player and also an incredible person, from what people who know him tell me. I've only met him a couple of times, but he seems like a very humble person. He's always put the team before himself, and I think that's one of the reasons why Argentina was so successful," Kane said.
The Bayern Munich forward, who is in contention for his first Ballon d'Or after scoring 73 goals for club and country last season, also described the moment he consoled Messi after the final whistle. "From that day, I remember hugging him and wishing him good luck for the final. It wasn't our World Cup in the end, but that's what a World Cup is all about: the best players facing off on the biggest stage, and of course, there's always going to be a loser. That day, after losing, I tried to keep my head held high and show respect for the other team. I think that was important, especially towards Leo for how incredible he's been for so many years in football," Kane added.
Messi, who is also nominated for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, was unable to help Argentina lift a fourth World Cup title this summer despite contributing eight goals and four assists across eight games in the tournament.
Messi Reaches Century for Inter Miami
Messi's own week took a happier turn on Wednesday, September 16, when he scored his 100th goal for Inter Miami in a 2-0 Campeones Cup win over Mexican side Cruz Azul. His 24th-minute header opened the scoring, before Casemiro added a second in the 81st minute.
The 39-year-old reached the milestone in his 115th appearance for the club. Since joining Inter Miami in July 2023, he has scored 76 goals in Major League Soccer, 14 in the Leagues Cup, eight in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and one in the FIFA Club World Cup, while also providing 58 assists for the Herons.
