Kane says England can reach another level after World Cup win

Jude Bellingham’s two goals sent England past Norway 2-1 in extra time and into the World Cup semi-finals in Miami. Harry Kane said England still had “another level we can reach.”

England moved within two wins of a first World Cup title since 1966. Kane, 32, scored six goals in the tournament and won his 120th England cap in the Norway match, matching Wayne Rooney in second place on England’s all-time appearance list. He said the side had not yet hit full level, adding that the squad had shown its best only “in glimpses” and that the conditions in Miami made the game hard to control.

A 3-2 last-16 win over Mexico in Mexico City on July 5 featured a Jude Bellingham brace, a Harry Kane penalty and a red card for Jarell Quansah, before the quarter-final against Norway again needed extra time to settle. Kane said the team’s togetherness and use of substitutes helped it through the heat and humidity, but he also backed Thomas Tuchel’s demand for more.

Tuchel was frustrated after the Norway game and said England had been “sloppy,” had made “a lot of technical mistakes” and were “not fast enough, not repetitive enough.” Kane said that criticism reflected a manager who wanted to see in matches what he sees in training. Bellingham pushed back slightly, arguing that the conditions and Norway’s quality made the performance difficult.

This is only England’s fourth World Cup semi-final since lifting the trophy in 1966, and the previous two ended in defeat to West Germany in 1990 and Croatia in 2018. England also lost the Euro 2020 final to Italy on penalties at Wembley in 2021 and the Euro 2024 final to Spain in Berlin.

England will face Argentina in the semi-final in Atlanta at 8pm BST. If they win, France or Spain will await in the final on Sunday, July 19.