Harry Kane has been brutally honest in his reflection of Euro 2024 and admitted some England players did not play as well as they have done at previous tournaments. The Bayern Munich forward finished as joint-top scorer, netting three times.
Some fans were calling for Kane to be dropped from the starting XI because he began dropping very deep in search of the ball.
Frustration grew all tournament as England struggled to break down opposition that sat deep.
Kane was aware of the noise around his position and is striving to improve for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
“I am conscious of the summer and talk about myself physically. Perception is a big thing in football," Kane said. "As a nation and as media or pundits, we were trying to find a reason why we weren’t playing as well as we had played in other tournaments.
“Maybe my form in the tournament took the brunt of that. It was like: ‘Why is he not scoring goals?’ But in the tournament I felt good. Just as a team I felt we were not quite clicking.
“Quite a few of the lads, if we talk honestly, did not perform as well as we have done in other tournaments.
“At 31, I am in a good place both mentally and physically and some of the players ahead of me like Cristiano Ronaldo have helped prove to me I can be at this level for a long time.
“With Vincent Kompany now at Bayern and Lee Carsley here, the intensity has gone up and I feel like I have handled that very well and if anything that will make me fitter and sharper.”
Kane's menatality to never give up has been deeply rooted inside him ever since he was released from the Arsenal academy aged eight.
A few years later joined north London rivals Tottenham - but that was also not without a shaky spell.
“From when I was eight years old being released from Arsenal,” added Kane. “That might have built a bit of desire to prove them when I was that age. And even when I first came to Spurs, I was there from 11 years old and early on in my academy career I was close to being released…
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“I was never the guy that everyone thought was going to go on and do what I’ve done. I’ve always had to fight for my place, fight for the opportunity to show that I could play at the level I wanted to – in the Premier League at that time and England.
“It helps me to keep improving. Tom Brady in the NFL was a big inspiration of mine. I’ve spoken about him previously, his mentality. He is a prime example of this and he went on to become the greatest in his sport.
“But even when he was 42, 43 he was still having to prove people wrong and prove to himself that he was good enough. I think that until I stop playing I will always have that attitude.”