{"id":1264381,"date":"2022-12-12T19:16:10","date_gmt":"2022-12-12T19:16:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/12\/12\/england-players-head-home-after-france-quarter\/"},"modified":"2022-12-12T19:16:10","modified_gmt":"2022-12-12T19:16:10","slug":"england-players-head-home-after-france-quarter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/12\/12\/england-players-head-home-after-france-quarter\/","title":{"rendered":"England players head home after France quarter"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Captain Harry Kane said England would use their defeat by France to be \u201cmentally and physically stronger for the next challenge\u201d as they headed home from the World Cup in Qatar.<\/p>\n

England were\u00a0beaten 2-1 in the quarter-finals,\u00a0with Kane missing an 84th-minute penalty, having earlier\u00a0equalled England\u2019s scoring record\u00a0of 53 goals.<\/p>\n

Gareth Southgate\u2019s side left their hotel in Al Wakrah before their flight home.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAbsolutely gutted,\u201d said Kane.<\/p>\n

Writing on social media, the Tottenham forward\u00a0added:\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019ve given it everything and it\u2019s come down to a small detail which I take responsibility for. There\u2019s no hiding from it, it hurts and it\u2019ll take some time to get over it but that\u2019s part of sport.<\/p>\n

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\u201cNow it\u2019s about using the experience to be mentally and physically stronger for the next challenge. Thanks for all the support throughout the tournament \u2013 it means a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaking about Kane\u2019s penalty miss, former England striker Alan Shearer told BBC Radio 5 Live: \u201cThat\u2019s the life of a centre-forward. You put yourself in those positions and it will haunt Harry for the rest of his life.\u201d<\/p>\n

England departed their hotel in Qatar at about 12:30pm local time and are expected to land in the UK later on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Players waved to fans gathered outside the hotel as they boarded a coach, with midfielder Jude Bellingham taking the time to sign memorabilia.<\/p>\n

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  • \u2018Southgate has been amazing\u2019<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    England centre-back Harry Maguire echoed his captain\u2019s words, and also paid special tribute to Southgate, who has said\u00a0he will \u201creview and reflect\u201d\u00a0on his side\u2019s exit with the Football Association before making a decision on his future.<\/p>\n

    Southgate, who has been England\u2019s manager since 2016, has a contract that runs until the Euro 2024 finals.<\/p>\n

    \u201cLast night hurt. Absolutely gutted. Special thanks to Gareth and you amazing fans who kept belief in me. I love my country and I hope we made you proud,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Maguire on social media.<\/p>\n

    Under Southgate, England reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and the Euro 2020 final before their elimination by the defending champions in Qatar.<\/p>\n

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    \u201cGareth has been amazing with myself, amazing with every player in the team,\u201d Maguire said in an interview.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI\u2019m sure if you asked every player in the team they wouldn\u2019t be able to speak highly enough of him, his man-management, the way that this team has been built and developed over a period of time.<\/p>\n

    \u201cOver the last five or six years with Gareth in charge, you can really see the development. I know being an England manager is so tough, they get every decision they make scrutinised, every squad they make, \u2018he should be in\u2019 or \u2018he shouldn\u2019t be in\u2019. Every team he picks, \u2018he should play\u2019 or \u2018he shouldn\u2019t play\u2019\u2026 that is being an England manager.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHe knows how to handle it. He handles everything really well and tactically he gets all the big decisions right and he has proven that again this tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n

    READ ALSO<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Southgate was also backed by midfielder Declan Rice, who said he hoped his manager continued in the job.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIf you guys could come in and see how well everyone\u2019s been on it, you would have thought we would have gone the whole way as a collective but for me, personally, I hope he stays,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

    \u201cObviously, I don\u2019t know. There\u2019s a lot of talk around that. I think he\u2019s been brilliant for us. I think there\u2019s a lot of criticism that\u2019s not deserved. I think he\u2019s taken us so, so far. Further than what people can expect.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHe got everything spot on again, it\u2019s not on him. It\u2019s not on him at all \u2013 the tactics were right, we played the right way.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI really hope he stays because the core group that we\u2019ve got and what he\u2019s made for us, it\u2019s so special to be a part of. I love playing under him and I love playing for England.\u201d<\/p>\n

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    Marcus Rashford was among a host of England players who posted on social media on Sunday, with the Manchester United forward promising that the Three Lions \u201cwill come again\u201d.<\/p>\n

    Rashford was England\u2019s joint-top scorer with Bukayo Saka in Qatar, scoring three goals.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe last few weeks have been a rollercoaster of emotions, each and every one of our team gave everything we had to be ready for what was thrown at us, we got close, but not close enough,\u201d he\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI\u2019ll make a promise that we will come again.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Midfielder Jordan Henderson\u00a0said\u00a0it was a \u201ctough one to take\u201d, adding \u201csometimes football isn\u2019t fair\u201d.<\/p>\n

    Earlier, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said the team was \u201churting\u201d after the last-eight defeat.<\/p>\n

    \u201cLike all England fans we feel the pain of losing a quarter-final, along with the coaches, players and support team who are hurting this morning,\u201d he said in a statement.<\/p>\n

    \u201cGareth and Steve [Holland] prepared the team exceptionally well throughout the tournament. The players were committed to winning the trophy and were very well led by Harry Kane.<\/p>\n

    \u201cBut sport can have fine margins and on the day, against the current world champions, it was not to be.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThis is a very exciting young English squad and, despite the intense disappointment of last night, they should be very proud of their performances in Qatar.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe are incredibly proud of Gareth, the players, the coaches and the support team and appreciate all the hard work they put in.\u201d<\/p>\n

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