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Harry Kane may never get another opportunity to lift the World Cup trophy, following what stands as his most heartbreaking failure with England — and his Ballon d’Or aspirations now appear to be fading fast.

It was somewhat surprising that it took journalists several questions before asking Kane about his future. The England captain stood in the mixed zone after the crushing 2-1 defeat to Argentina, facing the abrupt end of a remarkable season. Only by the third question did someone pose the inevitable: what comes next?

It was a fair question. Kane is just two weeks away from turning 33, an age where most footballers begin their decline. By the time Euro 2028 arrives, he will be 35 and could be a very different player.

It could all have been so different. England led 1-0 with just five minutes remaining on Wednesday night. Had Kane produced a performance worthy of his reputation, perhaps they would have extended their lead. The following days might have been filled with stories of how he was leading England to glory.

Instead, we are left reflecting on a player who has shattered numerous records at club level, yet fallen short internationally. Success with England remains the final frontier for Kane — and it now seems that his chance may have passed.

“We were close, really close to another final, but it wasn’t enough. We’ve given everything these last seven weeks, and to fall short is hard to take! I know the expectations are high and rightly so; we’ve been knocking on the door for eight years now but again are missing that final piece of the jigsaw,” Kane admitted on social media.

A mixed display against Argentina

For the first hour, England matched Argentina well. Though Thomas Tuchel’s side weren’t necessarily superior to the reigning World Cup champions, they held their own. When Anthony Gordon scored in the 55th minute, it felt deserved. England had landed the first blow — and appeared ready to trade punches with the South Americans.

But things changed quickly. England retreated, while Argentina attacked relentlessly. As Lionel Scaloni later noted, Argentina “smelled blood in the water”. Tuchel’s men were soon overwhelmed.

Kane, meanwhile, was largely anonymous. His stat line tells a grim story: 26 touches, nine passes completed, one blocked shot, and no touches inside Argentina’s box. While perhaps slightly harsh, it paints a picture of a striker unable to influence the game.

He did, to his credit, fight hard in the first half — engaging in more duels than Lisandro Martínez and Alexis Mac Allister combined. There were moments when he threw himself into challenges with reckless abandon. That energy was useful early on, but when England needed creativity and control later, it wasn’t enough.

‘We struggled to be on the ball’

After England’s goal, Tuchel faced a tactical dilemma. His side had produced a heroic defensive display earlier in the tournament against Mexico at the Azteca, with Kane battling for 89 minutes that night. On this occasion, however, England needed to push forward — something Kane acknowledged.

“For one reason or another, we struggled to be on the ball, we struggled to put pressure on the ball and it allowed them to create more momentum and more attacks in our final third,” Kane said. Ironically, he was part of that problem.

England needed an outlet — a forward to occupy Argentina’s centre-backs and relieve pressure. But Kane, lacking pace, dropped deeper to help defensively, leaving England without a threat up front. Tuchel might have substituted him, but he stayed on as England’s hopes slipped away.

A record-breaking season

It was a bitterly disappointing end to what had been a phenomenal season for Kane at Bayern Munich. The striker broke the Bundesliga single-season record with 58 goals across all competitions. His 36 league goals topped all players in Europe’s top five leagues, and he became the fastest Bayern player ever to reach 100 goal contributions. Bayern finished 16 points clear at the top despite easing off late in the campaign.

Those numbers made him a genuine Ballon d’Or contender. His statistics rivalled those of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and even surpassed Robert Lewandowski’s best seasons. On pure performance, there was a strong case for him to become the first Englishman since Michael Owen to win the prestigious award.

However, Bayern’s shortcomings in major competitions hurt his chances. They were narrowly beaten by eventual champions PSG in the Champions League semi-finals, losing 6-5 on aggregate after failing to mount a comeback.

‘I’d be one of the favourites’

Kane knew that a strong World Cup could bolster his Ballon d’Or campaign. “I’d be one of the favourites, definitely,” he said before the tournament. “Given the trophies I’ve won this season and the number of goals I’ve scored, I’d be in the running. Especially as, should England win the World Cup, one could imagine the trophy going to an English player.”

He began the tournament in fine form, scoring twice against Croatia, once against Panama, and twice against Congo, while also providing an assist at the Azteca. Alongside Jude Bellingham, he was driving England’s attack.

Heading into the semi-final, Kane was just two goals behind Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot race. England needed him to deliver. But failing to score against Argentina ended those hopes. Even if he were to score a hat-trick against France in the third-place playoff — which he is unlikely to play — Messi’s expected goals in the final make it improbable that Kane could catch him.

He will return to Germany without a Golden Boot and without a World Cup medal. His Ballon d’Or dream has likely faded with them.

Could this be the end?

Kane’s move to Bayern Munich had represented a career revival after staying perhaps too long at Tottenham Hotspur. Though he was consistently brilliant in the Premier League, he was hampered by the club’s lack of ambition. Bayern gave him the platform to prove he could still perform at the highest level. He has often spoken about learning from athletes in other sports to prolong his career, and his success in Germany suggested he could defy age — at least in club football.

International football, however, is a different challenge. There’s little time for rest or tactical adjustments. After a long club season, the World Cup was a sprint — and when it mattered most, Kane fell short.

A complex England legacy

If this truly marks the end of his international peak, Kane’s England legacy will be complicated. Statistically, he is England’s greatest ever striker. He is on course to surpass 100 goals and could break Peter Shilton’s record of 125 caps (he currently has 121). He holds the record for the most penalties scored at World Cups and won the Golden Boot in 2018.

Yet, his record in major tournaments is blemished. He was poor at Euro 2024, missed a crucial penalty in Qatar 2022, and never quite carried England in the way legends like Messi, Ronaldo, Pele, Maradona, or Henry did for their nations. All those players have a major international trophy to their names — Kane does not.

England’s future also looks uncertain. Tuchel’s squad featured a 30-year-old Ollie Watkins and a 30-year-old Ivan Toney — both capable but hardly long-term solutions. The lack of a young successor leaves Kane indispensable.

England will likely continue with Kane through Euro 2028. By then, he may be past his prime, but there are no obvious replacements.

Kane, though, remains determined. “The national team is my pride and joy,” he said. “It’s what I love doing more than anything. Four years is a long way away, I’m 33 this summer, but it never ended with Leo [Messi] — he’s still performing at the highest level. I never want to put a limit on these things.”

Still, history suggests otherwise. Kane has had opportunities to define his greatness before, only to see them slip away. This one, with its heartbreak and missed potential, feels like the most painful of all.