England captain Harry Kane couldn't step up and deliver at the big stage, missing the costly second penalty that he was awarded in the FIFA World Cup 2022 quarter-final against France. Having scored from the spot earlier in the match, Kane skied his effort for the second time, and there was no late comeback from England from there on. Kane's penalty miss didn't just result in England's elimination from the tournament but has also become fodder for hilarious memes on social media.
Kane had scored fron the spot in the 54th minute, canceling Aurelien Tchouameni's opener. Olivier Giroud then put France ahead again in the second-half with a deflected header. Kane had the opportunity to cancel Les Bleus' lead again and force the game into extra-time. However, he couldn't convert from the spot for the second time.
The Tottenham Hotspur man's penalty miss gave fans the opportunity to flood the internet with memes. Here are some of them:
"Of course it's something I will have to live with and take on the chin. But all we can do is be proud of each other and know that the team is in a really good place for the future," Kane said after the match.
"I thought on the night we had the better chances and better spells in the game. It comes down to execution. As captain, I take it on the chin and am responsible for missing the penalty.
"It is hard to take for sure but I can be proud of the group, proud of each other for what we've done. This will hurt for a while but we will dust ourselves down to get ready in the future," he further said.