Harry Kane Redemption 2026 World Cup After Qatar Miss

England captain Harry Kane remains motivated by the painful memory of his missed penalty in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final against France, which he calls the lowest point of his career. Already having scored once from the spot, Kane’s second attempt in the 84th minute went wide, sealing England’s exit from Qatar.

Reflecting on the moment, Kane admitted, “I’d say that was probably the worst that I felt in any moment… Not being able to execute something that I’ve been able to execute many a time in my career, I think that was the hardest part to process and take.”

Turning Disappointment into Motivation

Rather than dwelling on the miss, Kane used it as fuel for improvement. He introduced variations in his penalty technique, including a stuttered run-up to better read goalkeepers. This adjustment paid off, as Kane converted 31 consecutive penalties for club and country before a German Cup miss with Bayern Munich. Since then, he’s scored six straight penalties, including two in England’s 5-0 win over Latvia, confirming qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Looking ahead, Kane views the next World Cup in North America as a chance for redemption. “Those moments only shape you as a person, as a player, and it’s definitely helped me to become a better player,” he said.

Kane’s Career Milestones and Form

Now with 76 international goals, Kane is pursuing 100 goals for England, aiming to score 24 more in upcoming fixtures leading up to the World Cup. On his form, he added, “The goals are there and the numbers speak for themselves… I feel in a really good place.”

England coach Thomas Tuchel praised Kane’s penalty reliability, stating, “For me, he never misses a penalty.”

Since Qatar, Kane’s journey has been defined by resilience and growth, using setbacks to improve as an all-round player and maintain leadership on the field.