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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Nick Ames at the Olympiastadion Berlin

Harry Kane cuts sorry figure on a desolate night for England

Harry Kane walks past the trophy after coming up short with England in the Euro 2024 final.
Harry Kane walks past the trophy after coming up short with England in the Euro 2024 final. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

This was not Harry’s game. It was not his or England’s tournament either and perhaps, once they have picked themselves off the floor from a traumatic, climactic night, they will acknowledge that something may indeed have changed forever. The sight of Harry Kane removing his armband, handing it to Kyle Walker and running to swap places with Ollie Watkins in the 61st minute was an oddly moving finale to his summer. This was not how anybody had envisaged his role in breaking a personal trophy drought and ending the hex upon his country, too.

As Spain celebrated in the centre circle Kane stood impassively in the technical area, putting emotions in order before making his way around his stricken, desolate teammates. He had hoped to crown his life’s work here but instead all the goals and individual accolades that, the day before, he had offered to swap for team success will have to stay put.

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