Gary Neville has suggested that Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford, and John Stones have likely played their last World Cup match for England following the Three Lions' semi-final defeat to Argentina. England were bidding to reach the World Cup final for the first time in 60 years, but a heartbreaking late collapse saw them lose 2-1 after Anthony Gordon had put them ahead. Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez scored in the final minutes to send defending champions Argentina into the final against Spain.
Neville's emotional reflection
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast with Sky Bet, Neville drew parallels to his own career. 'The only thing I would say is, I mean, it's half an hour's football, but I remember the penalties in 2006; that was my last half an hour ever in a World Cup,' he said. 'So for Harry Kane, for Jordan Pickford, for Stones, that is your last half an hour probably ever in a World Cup. It is a half an hour, but it's a half an hour that doesn't come back very often. It might never come back for the lads. It's a big half an hour, isn't it?'
Neville added: 'You think about those moments we had where we were on the edge of getting to semis and finals, and we just couldn't get over the line, could we?'
Kane's future and squad age concerns
Kane, who turns 33 later this month, is England's second most capped player of all time and surpassed Gary Lineker this tournament to become England's record goalscorer at World Cups. Seven players in Thomas Tuchel's 26-man squad are aged 30 or above, including the 32-year-old trio of Kane, Pickford, and Stones, who have been the foundation of England's success in recent major tournaments.
Despite Neville's prediction, Kane hinted at a desire to continue. 'It's too early to talk about that. I mean, as a person, it's always just about taking it year by year and how I feel,' Kane said after the defeat. 'The national team is my pride and joy. It's what I love to do most, more than anything. Obviously, four years is a long way away. I'm 33 in the summer, but as you saw on the other end with Messi there, he's still performing at the highest level. So, I never want to put a limit on these things.'
Neville criticises Tuchel's tactics
Neville also criticised Tuchel's post-match comments, where the German coach suggested England's 'DNA' was to blame rather than his tactics. 'I have a big problem with that,' Neville said. 'He didn't bring Mainoo on, who could handle the ball better than most. He didn't bring, say, for instance, Saka on who could probably handle the ball better than most. But he also left Foden, Palmer, Wharton, Gibbs-White, and Trent Alexander-Arnold at home, who were technical players. That, to me, wasn't a quote that sat well with me because I said before the tournament, we all did, he's left out what would be generational talents like Trent, and Foden, and Palmer, players who've got massive talent.'
England will conclude their tournament on Saturday in Miami with a third-place playoff against France, who were convincingly beaten by Spain in the other semi-final.
