AI KHOR, Qatar — When Gareth Southgate missed a penalty to knock England out of the 1996 European Championships, there was all manner of nonsense in the name of national disappointment.
A newspaper visited his mother’s house, for some reason, to get her analysis. A so-called fan, who reacted to the loss against Germany by participating in a riot — and was jailed for it — later told Southgate he blamed him for his prison time.
There will hopefully be none of that ridiculousness this weekend, and no public castigation for Harry Kane, whose astute captaincy and elite play did not stop him from feeling like hell after his chance to equalize from the spot went begging, putting England out and France through to the last four.
Harry Kane misses game-tying penalty kick against France
Whether England’s collective desire for its national team to win a major trophy has matured enough for a sense of realism to prevail remains open for debate. Following a penalty shootout defeat to Italy at the 2020 Euros (staged in 2021), a minority of morons spouted race-based criticism at the three players who missed, before being partly drowned out by more reasonable voices.
If any England fan, follower, curious observer or fly-by-nighter is in any doubt how to behave now, or wonders how to feel toward Kane, they could do far worse than listen to the words of Southgate himself, the kind, calm, measured man who has been the team’s head coach for the past six years.
“He is the best,” Southgate said of Kane. “But the best are still 85 percent (at penalties), so even the best are going to miss — and that’s football. There is nobody I would rather have in that situation and if we had one tomorrow, I would feel exactly the same way.
“For me, he has been a fantastic leader of this group through this tournament. It is cruel for him because he will feel disappointed in himself. But he shouldn’t, because it is 100 minutes of football and a lot of things can happen to (affect) the game.”
[Harry Kane misses crucial PK as England is bounced by France, 2-1]
This was it, then, for an England run that promised much and ended with perhaps its best display of the tournament, going toe-to-toe with the reigning world champion and outplaying France for much of the evening.
Southgate’s group is more likable than many of its predecessors, more popular, more public-facing, and certainly more talented, with brilliant prospects such as Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden to supplement the likes of Kane.
Who knows if there will be another opportunity, because international soccer does not work in linear increments. In one sense, this campaign brought less progress than either the Euros or the 2018 World Cup, which ended in the semifinals.
But it felt like a step forward, to a position where England can genuinely consider itself not just one of the best-known nations in world soccer but also one of the most technically proficient.
Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and every goal by England in the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Small margins are so often the difference. Kane sees Hugo Lloris every day under normal circumstances as they both play for English Premier League side Tottenham. Who knows what slight body hints the France goalkeeper might have been able to glean in order to dive the right way, and force Kane to attempt a higher strike that led him to blaze it over.
“Tonight is very difficult when you get a second penalty,” Southgate said. “And of course a goalkeeper who knows you really well, so there is a lot involved in that situation.”
There is a lot involved in trying to win the world’s greatest soccer showcase, too, and England has spent the last 56 years trying to solve the puzzle, since its only triumph on home soil.
There was much to like these past few weeks, a signal of intent in the Group B opener — beating Iran 6-2 — a tame but valuable scoreless tie with the United States and resounding victories over Wales and then Senegal.
In the end, the raw facts will lend toward the same old story, but this one has a decidedly more uplifting twist.
There is pain, yes, but it will be a damning indictment on English collectivism if there is no public sympathy, too. For Kane, whose effort and leadership deserved better than the card fate dealt him. For the team, who stood united and didn’t back down, even against the best.
And for Southgate, a man who understands his job and his country, and the place his team occupies in it, even if he has yet to crack its lingering curse.
England vs. France Highlights
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Martin Rogers is a columnist for FOX Sports and the author of the FOX Sports Insider newsletter. Follow him on Twitter @MRogersFOX and subscribe to the daily newsletter.
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