England captain Harry Kane has defended his performance in the first leg of Euro 2024 after receiving criticism from fans and commentators.
The Three Lions opened their Euro campaign with a 1-0 win over Serbia, before being held to a 1-1 draw by Denmark on Thursday. Their performance prompted fans and former players to voice their opinions – many casting doubt on the club's future in the competition.
Kane, who put England ahead in the first 18 minutes against Denmark, has defended his efforts.
“Everyone has the right to have their opinion and when there is a big international competition it will be magnified,” he told the media. “To be honest, did I play as well as I can? No.
“We are calm, we have been here before. We have a lot of experience. It is not time to panic, of course. But it is time to try to improve. In the early stages [of the tournament]it's like a boxer in the first rounds, seeing where everyone is.
“But I didn't score a goal in the World Cup in the group stage, so I'm already in the lead now. I don't go too high, or too low, I just move on to the next one.
“The first game, I felt as healthy as I have been all season. I came out in the second game but that's because the manager wanted a kiss. I'm healthy. You want to be in the top when you go to the big games. The knockouts.”
Gareth Southgate's team is expected to continue playing in Europe on Tuesday when they face Slovenia. They sit comfortably at the top of their group with 4 points and will soon advance to the round of 16.
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