Harry Kane makes decision over England future after Euro 2024 final defeat

Euro 2024 runners-up England arrived back home on Monday (Pictures: PA/Getty)

Harry Kane has no intention of retiring from international football despite enduring another final defeat with England and largely struggling at Euro 2024.

Kane finished the tournament as joint-top goalscorer with three goals but was subbed off in five of England’s seven games, including the final against Spain.

Gareth Southgate admitted after the 2-1 defeat in Berlin that his captain and the country’s record goalscorer ‘didn’t quite get up to the level we had all hoped’ after picking up an injury towards the end of last season.

Kane’s passive performances – combined with the emergence of Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney, who played small but crucial roles in the knockout stages – has led to scrutiny over the Bayern Munich striker’s place in the team going forward.

England will look to finally lift a major trophy in men’s football at the World Cup in two years time but it remains to be seen whether Kane will still be leading the line, with Gary Lineker among those questioning his future in the national team.

But, according to the Daily Telegraph, those close to Kane have dismissed the suggestion he could be set to retire from international football and believe he intends to play for England at the 2026 World Cup and beyond.

Kane, who has scored 66 goals in 98 games for England, enjoyed his most prolific goalscoring season ahead of the Euros, bagging 44 goals in his first campaign for Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich after leaving Tottenham last summer.

Harry Kane endured a mixed Euros campaign (Picture: Getty)

Ex-striker Lineker insists Kane was ‘not himself’ at Euro 2024, however, and says he ‘wonders’ what the future holds for the 30-year-old in an England shirt.

Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker said: ‘Part of [looking to] the future in my mind was what England do, what does Harry Kane do? He was not himself in this tournament.

‘He’s in his 30s now. When I was 30, 31, my legs started to go. I retired from international football at 32. At 31 that was happening [legs going] and it’s horrible, it’s horrible.

The England squad arrived back home (Picture: PA)

‘Maybe he was just tired or carrying a little something that affected him and that [his legs going] might not be the case.

‘But I wonder. What is he, coming up to 31 now? That’s exactly the time when I started to feel that way.’

Kane hinted his thoughts were already turning to the 2026 World Cup in a social media post on Monday.

‘Heartbroken we couldn’t achieve what we worked so hard to,’ he said shortly before the Three Lions arrived back in England and went their separate ways.

‘It was a long tough tournament and I’m so proud of the boys and staff for getting to the final.

‘Ultimately we fell short of our target and will have to live with that but as we always do we will pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and be ready to fight again in an England shirt.

‘Thank you to all the fans that believed in us and supported us to the very end.’

While Kane is expected to prolong his international career, Southgate may need more time to decide whether or not to step down following more final heartbreak.

The 53-year-old’s current contract expires in December but the FA are keen for Southgate to extend and take the team to the United States, Canada and Mexico for the next World Cup.

Asked about Southgate’s future, Kane added: ‘We made it clear we love the manager, but that’s his decision [whether he wants to stay on].

‘Now’s not the time to talk about it. It’s down to him, he’ll go away and think about it. But we’re all just hurting.’

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