England captain Harry Kane has defended his performance in the opening stages of Euro 2024 after receiving criticism from fans and pundits.
The Three Lions kicked off their Euro campaign with a 1-0 win over Serbia, before holding on to a 1-1 draw against Denmark on Thursday. Their performances provoked both fans and former players to share their opinions – with many casting doubt over the team’s future in the tournament.
Kane, who put England ahead in the first 18 minutes of their clash with Denmark, has since defended his efforts.
“Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion and when a major international tournament is on it’s going to be heightened,” he told reporters. “If I’m being honest, am I playing as well as I can? No.
“We are calm, we have been here before. We’ve got a lot of experience. It’s not a time to panic, of course. But it is a time to try to improve. In the early stages [of the tournament], it’s a bit like a boxer in the early rounds, seeing where everyone’s at.
“But I didn’t score at the World Cup in the group stages, so I’m one ahead already now. I don’t get too high, or too low, I just go onto the next one.
“The first game, I felt as fit as I have all season. I came off in the second game but that’s because the manager wanted to freshen up. I’m fit. You want to be coming into your peak towards the big games in the knockouts.”
Gareth Southgate’s squad are set to continue their European charge on Tuesday when they take on Slovenia. They sit comfortably atop of their group on 4 points and will soon progress to the round of 16.
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