England and penalties. Two words that will spark fear in the eyes of many across the country.
Throw in two more words – major tournament – and that fear gets even larger. There is a reason the Three Lions haven’t won anything since 1966 and on a night inside the Al Bayt Stadium, Qatar, that wait would grow even longer.
This may have been a crushing defeat, but at the same time, it left many feeling proud of England. There hasn’t been mass hysteria in the press, pundits were also glowing of Gareth Southgate’s men at full-time.
That might not be a trophy but it’s an achievement in itself.
Of years gone by, this national team has been vilified, thrown under the bus and told not to even come back to England.
There was a night in France eight years ago when they tasted their worst defeat at a major tournament yet, as Roy Hodgson’s side were disgraced by minnows Iceland.
There was no embarrassment this time. England had been the better team against none other than the World Champions. However, sport isn’t fair.
You’d have put your mortgage on Tottenham striker Harry Kane scoring a penalty if required. You’d have gleefully turned your car in, given your savings away. Perhaps even your firstborn. And indeed after the striker found the net from one spot kick against clubmate Hugo Lloris, you’d have done that all over again after Mason Mount had been bundled over late on.
Up stepped the Spurs star again, but this time the ball flew into the Qatar sky never to be seen again.
Yes, the man you’d just given away your house for had missed a penalty. It was the biggest of his career, it was a spot kick that would have earned him England immortality. He had already equalled Wayne Rooney’s Three Lions record on the night and had this found the back of the net, he’d be the nation’s all-time leading goalscorer.
That day will inevitably come for the Tottenham man, just on a less grand stage than a World Cup quarter-final.
Kane hadn’t struggled in the opening rounds of the tournament as England’s star man, but he will leave the Middle East behind with just two goals to his name. It’s unlikely many will remember them in two years’ time at the Euros, but this team must bounce back and quickly. They will learn from the experience and surely in 18 months’ time, they will be in an even stronger place to win a tournament.
The striker will primarily hold most of the responsibility for their exit last night but he cannot shoulder it all. It feels harsh to play the blame game. Kyle Walker did a good job against Kylian Mbappe. Jordan Henderson ran himself into the ground. Bukayo Saka gave Theo Hernandez a rough night and Jude Bellingham was constantly on the front foot.
Yet, when it mattered, Harry Maguire became a cause for concern again. His selection for this competition had always been controversial and until last night he had arguably been England’s best defender in Qatar.
As ever, he was a set-piece threat in the final third and defensively, looked largely untroubled in what was a revival period for the Manchester United man.
Sadly, he was the man who lost Olivier Giroud who scored what would be the decisive goal in Al Khor on Saturday evening.
Olivier Giroud with the header 🇫🇷
The all-time top scorer for France puts his side ahead in the second half#ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/x5tCZ8M5cv
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) December 10, 2022
The AC Milan man, who enjoyed spells in England with Arsenal and Chelsea, had become France’s record scorer over the last few weeks, defeating none other than Thierry Henry and his strike this weekend was perhaps typical given his own history in the United Kingdom.
He was left open by Maguire behind inside the box as the French forward evaded his marker before guiding the ball beyond Jordan Pickford.
This moment perhaps summed up Maguire’s form throughout 2022. Indeed, one pundit even said it was a “huge mistake” to take him this autumn. Cast aside at his club, it is for errors such as these that he hasn’t been trusted by Erik ten Hag. The mistake was perhaps not as high profile as it could have been but the way he left Giroud free was inexcusable.
He left Pickford with no chance and penalty miss or not, must shoulder some of the blame for last night after his 101 touches on the night.
That said, Maguire deserves another chance, whether it be at Old Trafford or in Southgate’s ranks. He is still one of the nation’s best centre-backs and often does not deserve such harsh criticism.
For most of the tournament, he was a pillar at the back while his bullish nature at the opposite end of the pitch meant he put fear into the eyes of many. Sadly for the defender, there was no such fear in Giroud’s eyes on Saturday night. Rather, there was glee and happiness.
As England fly home, few would bet against France becoming just the third team after Brazil and Italy to retain the famous trophy.
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