England striker, Harry Kane believes that their extra-time win over Norway to reach 2026 FIFA World Cup Semi-Finals wasn’t the most “prettiest performance” yet.
Andreas Schjelderup curled Norway into a 36th-minute lead before Jude Bellingham equalised in first-half injury time for England, and the Three Lions proceeded to win the match in extra time through Bellingham’s 93rd-minute rebound finish.
“Tough game, hot, really brutal, almost more so than Mexico with the heat and humidity but again, we found a way” explained Kane to ITV as he acknowledged that they had to scrap for the win rather than hit a new level in their play with Jordan Pickford and Elliot Anderson impressing.
“It wasn’t our prettiest performance, we know that. I said before in the press conference that there’s another level we can reach. I still feel like we didn’t reach it as a team.
“But we have match-winners – Jude [Bellingham] was the game-changer again today but the boys at the back, Pickers, everyone put in an amazing shift, this man next to me [Anderson] as well.
“Everyone involved put the hard work in. The most important element of this team is togetherness and we showed that again today.”
England manager, Thomas Tuchel had clashed with ITV prior to Kane’s interview and the captain explained that the German was simply keen to see a stronger performance which shows the motivation and potential of the team.
“He just said there in the changing room, massive congratulations, we should enjoy it and celebrate, but he knows we can do better,” continued Kane who views Tuchel’s ire as the ideal positive ahead of their semi-final against Argentina on Wednesday 15 July.
“In a way, that’s a good thing. If we are in the semi-finals of a World Cup and knowing we can still improve and find another level, we have to take that as a positive.
“We can be better with the ball in possession. We have a couple of big games ahead.”
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