England are out of the 2022 World Cup after suffering a 2-1 defeat against defending champions France.
The Three Lions, led by manager Gareth Southgate, suffered a heartbreaking defeat despite being the game’s better team.
An opening goal from Aurelien Tchouameni fired France into a 17-minute lead, but they were pegged back after Harry Kane successfully converted a penalty just before the halftime break.
Olivier Giroud then became the game’s hero after heading Les Bleus back into the lead with just over 10 minutes to go.
However, Kane was once again gifted a chance to draw level after Mason Mount was bundled over in his opponent’s box. Despite being England’s most reliable goalscorer, the Spurs talisman unusually blasted the ball high over the bar.
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However, even though Kane and his penalty woes will be what the nation talks about, former Liverpool star Stan Collymore believes Man City’s Phil Foden was the Three Lions’ biggest disappointment.
“The French were streetwise,” Collymore said in an exclusive interview.
“They were the better team in the first half and more clinical when it mattered. Antoine Griezmann’s cross to set up Olivier Giroud was sublime and Kane’s missed penalty just proves how fine the margins are, but let’s not forget France were without their two best players in the engine room and we still couldn’t dominate that midfield area.
“The game’s star man for me was Declan Rice, but the biggest letdown was Phil Foden.”
England will now head home and prepare for the restart of the Premier League on December 26. France, on the other hand, march on and will now face Morocco on Wednesday, December 14.
Do you agree with Collymore’s assessment? – Let us know in the comments.