Harry Kane has made the right decision on international retirement despite England woes at Euro 2024
Harry Kane is set to keep playing for England despite his struggles in front of goal at Euro 2024
PA
As the dust started to settle following England's Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain on Sunday night, Harry Kane found himself in the spotlight.
Deservedly so, too. Because, despite scoring three goals from seven appearances during the tournament in Germany, the 30-year-old was a shadow of the striker that electrified the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich last season.
Eventually, the truth will come out. The truth being that, perhaps, Kane was injured. And that Gareth Southgate stuck with the forward blindly to his peril, despite having the likes of Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney waiting in the wings to step up.
It is a shame that Kane, like many other England players, didn't really get going. If they had, perhaps Sunday's final with Spain would have played out differently.
Harry Kane is set to keep playing for England despite his struggles in front of goal at Euro 2024
pa
But the Bayern Munich hitman has no plans to quit playing for his country. And while he undeniably underwhelmed this summer, that's the right call for everybody involved.
It would be foolish to judge the former Tottenham star on just seven tournament matches. As mentioned above, he wasn't the only England player who failed to arrive this summer.
For Bayern last season, Kane was nothing short of outstanding. He netted 44 goals from 45 matches, proving himself as the rightful heir to Robert Lewandowski's throne in the process.
And England need a player of that quality if they are to finally, one day, end all these years of hurt.
A new manager could hold the key to coaxing the best from Kane, with the Southgate era no more following his decision to resign on Tuesday.
Thomas Tuchel is one person interested in taking charge. The German managed Kane at Bayern last season and is believed to be keen on a reunion, despite being an outside bet at this stage.
Eddie Howe and Graham Potter play attacking football and they're also in the running to succeed Southgate. At this stage, it's unclear who the FA will opt for.
England do have strikers who can deliver. But Kane's brilliance is unparallelled and, having scored more goals for the Three Lions at major tournaments than any other player in history, he warrants his place in the side.
Much is made of his inability to win a trophy, with Kane yet to celebrate a silverware triumph despite all his success in front of goal.
But he is apparently taking inspiration from Lionel Messi as he looks to fire England to glory next time out.
For a long time, it seemed as though Messi would never win with Argentina like he has done for his clubs throughout his career.
But that all changed in 2021 when he fired Argentina to a brilliant Copa America win. Since breaking that curse, he's proceeded to win that competition again - while also famously firing his country to glory at the World Cup in 2022.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Harry Kane was outstanding for Bayern Munich last term before struggling with England at Euro 2024
PA
Kane wants history to repeat itself and to emulate Messi.
He will be hurt by England's defeat on Sunday night, with the striker visibly dejected as he digested the result on the pitch at the Olympiastadion.
Harry Kane was hooked in five of England's matches at Euro 2024
PA
But it would be wrong to right him off.
England, perhaps under a new manager who plays with the shackles off, can still coax plenty from the hitman yet.