Harry Kane is not expected to give any consideration to retiring from international football and will instead use Lionel Messi as inspiration as he looks to bounce back from another final defeat with England, Report informs referring to The Telegraph.
England captain Kane said he was “heartbroken” after Sunday night’s defeat to Spain in Berlin, which was his and England’s second successive European Championship final loss.
Kane finished the tournament as joint top goalscorer with three goals, but was substituted in five of England’s seven games with manager Gareth Southgate admitting he had not hit his top level.
That sparked some debate over Kane’s place with former England international Gary Lineker suggesting the 30-year-old may be running out of steam.
Sources close to Kane, however, have completely dismissed that theory or the idea that he could consider retiring from international football. They point to the fact he has just come off his best personal goalscoring season with Bayern Munich, in which he netted 44 goals.
While being “heartbroken” by the latest final defeat, Kane is expected to be even more determined to help England to a first major tournament success at the 2026 World Cup and beyond that.
Messi lost his first three international finals with Argentina, the 2014 World Cup and two Copas América in 2015 and 2016, but has now won four finals in a row after lifting this year’s Copa América on Sunday night.
Kane is immensely proud to play for and captain England, and is the country’s record goalscorer having scored 66 times in 98 appearances.