Harry Kane makes stunning World Cup admission before Spain showdown

England captain Harry Kane has openly admitted that their recent World Cup exit at the hands of Argentina was the most devastating moment of his international career.

The Three Lions suffered a bitterly disappointing 2-1 defeat in the semi-finals of the 2026 tournament following a catastrophic late collapse against the South American heavyweights.

Thomas Tuchel faced severe criticism for his tactical approach as the national team missed out on a highly anticipated final appearance at MetLife Stadium in New York.

The squad has now reconvened 10 weeks after the agonising loss as they prepare to kick off their latest Nations League campaign.

England host World and European champions Spain at Wembley Stadium on Saturday evening as they begin their quest to build towards Euro 2028.

Kane brands Argentina defeat as "most painful" career moment

Reflecting on the heartbreak, Kane confessed that the manner of the semi-final elimination hurt him significantly more than his infamous penalty miss against France in Qatar.

The 33-year-old striker firmly believes that the squad completely lost their identity during the crucial latter stages of the high-stakes encounter.

“I have been to the finals, to semi-finals and been so close," said Kane to reporters via Sky Sports News. Each one hurts in a different way. This one hurt, for sure. More than any other one.

“I would probably say even more than when I missed a penalty in Qatar [in the quarter-final against France], just in the manner that it happened.

“It just felt like it wasn’t us as a team. It wasn’t the team that we wanted to be and said we’d be.

“Sometimes when you maybe go against your beliefs, and you lose, it feels 10 times worse than just losing in a way where if we lose doing it our way, you accept it, take it on the chin and move on.

“It’s tough and it will still be tough. You have to move on.”

The Bayern Munich marksman was so utterly devastated by the missed opportunity that he could not bear to watch the title decider between Argentina and Spain.

Can Tuchel inspire an immediate Nations League response?

The upcoming fixture against Spain represents a massive psychological test for an England squad still visibly scarred by their latest summer disappointment.

Tuchel must urgently find a way to resolve the recurring mental fragility that consistently plagues the national team during the dying moments of major international tournaments.

Kane has already publicly demanded open conversations within the dressing room to ensure they finally overcome their mental hurdles against elite opposition.

Delivering a dominant performance against the reigning world champions would instantly restore some valuable belief among the disillusioned fanbase.

Conversely, suffering another high-profile defeat at Wembley would only intensify the relentless external pressure currently mounting on the German tactician.