Harry Kane is no stranger to taking responsibility from the penalty spot, which made his miss against Spain all the more unusual.
If you watch Bayern Munich games, it was become routine — the Bavarians get awarded a PK, Kane puts it home for a goal.
It always just looks easy.
Kane,who had already scored to give England a 2-1 lead over Spain, had a chance to widen the lead, but his effort went wrong in bizarre fashion as he slipped during the attempt and ended up double-hitting the ball. Rather than
looking for excuses, the Bayern Munich striker explained exactly what happened and accepted that sometimes football simply produces moments that are out of a player’s control.
“Unfortunate to slip in that moment, it happens sometimes. I tried to put power on it and my left foot just gave way, and obviously I ended up double-hitting the ball. That’s the life of a footballer, the life of a striker. It didn’t go my way in that second half,” Kane said (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
The miss will naturally attract attention because of how unusual it was, but Kane’s reaction was perhaps more telling. Penalty misses are part of the job for any striker, and even one of the most reliable penalty takers in world football can have a moment where the execution simply does not go according to plan.
Kane also acknowledged that the second half did not go his way, making the penalty miss part of a frustrating period rather than something he appeared determined to dwell on.
For a striker, the response after a difficult moment is often just as important as the mistake itself. Kane has built his career on taking responsibility in high-pressure situations, and this was another reminder that even the most dependable players can have an unfortunate moment.
As far as Spain goes, that World Cup magic the Spaniards had in the summer still remains.
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