Gary Lineker explains why Harry Kane may consider England retirement – with record-breaking 66-goal striker facing ‘horrible’ dilemma after Euro 2024 failure

Gary Lineker has explained why Harry Kane may soon consider England retirement, with the prolific striker facing a “horrible” dilemma.

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• Frontman carried down into Euros quest
• Struggled to produce his best in Germany
• No indication that he is ready to walk away

• Table of Contents

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Bayern Munich frontman remains captain of his country for now and their all-time leading scorer on 66 goals through 98 appearances. He claimed a share of another Golden Boot at Euro 2024, as the Three Lions made a second successive final, but looked well short of his best throughout the tournament.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kane had been carrying a knock from the end of the 2023-24 campaign, but he was replaced in the semi-final and final as questions began to be asked of his contribution to the collective cause. Ex-England forward Lineker knows all about finding yourself in that kind of situation.

• WHAT LINEKER SAID

  Lineker has told podcast of why Kane may not have long left in the international arena, as England rebuild on the back of more European Championship pain: “Part of [looking to] the future in my mind was what England do, what does Harry Kane do? He was not himself in this tournament. He's in his 30s now. When I was 30, 31, my legs started to go. I retired from international football at 32. At 31 that was happening [legs going] and it's horrible, it's horrible.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Ex-Everton and Tottenham striker Lineker added on bowing out after Euro ‘92 with 48 international goals to his name: “I felt [it] in that last season – which is one of the reasons I decided to retire from international football, to finish in English football, to move to Japan. I could feel my legs going. I was poor in that last [major tournament]. I was made a martyr because Graham Taylor brought me off but he had every right to bring me off because I was past my best. It happens to some people at some point. Maybe he was just tired or carrying a little something that affected him and that [his legs going] might not be the case. But I wonder. What is he, coming up to 31 now? That's exactly the time when I started to feel that way.”