England Rallies Behind Captain Kane Ahead of Crucial Euro 2024 Semi-Final
England’s players have expressed unwavering support for their captain Harry Kane, who has faced criticism over his below-par form at Euro 2024. Despite scoring twice en route to the semi-finals, the country’s record goalscorer has appeared off the pace at times, leading to calls for Gareth Southgate to drop him against the Netherlands.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kane’s Liverpool teammate, dismissed any notion that the Dutch would be pleased to see the striker omitted, stating, “Anyone who is facing England would like to see Harry Kane not playing. You just know he is a threat.” The defender highlighted Kane’s world-class finishing ability and all-around contribution to the team, including his hold-up play and ability to drop deep and build the attack.
Luke Shaw echoed these sentiments, emphasizing Kane’s importance to the squad. “When he’s on the pitch he makes other players feel positive. I think we all feel very positive when he’s on the pitch, because he’s our leading goalscorer. At any time he can score a goal and make that difference. He’s a very important player, he’s our captain.”
Shaw, who has overcome a hamstring injury to feature in the tournament, is relieved to be able to contribute to England’s semi-final push. The left-back played 42 minutes against Switzerland and made a noticeable impact, offering the balance that the team had lacked on the left flank.
As England prepare to travel to Dortmund for the semi-final clash, Southgate’s main selection dilemma may lie at centre-back, where Ezri Konsa deputized admirably for the suspended Marc Guéhi against the Swiss. Guéhi is pushing to regain his place against a Netherlands side that have scored nine goals in the tournament so far.
The players are determined to put the heartbreak of the Euro 2020 final defeat behind them and secure a place in the Euro 2024 final, which would be England’s finest achievement since their 1966 World Cup triumph.
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