England captain Harry Kane has offered a candid assessment of his side’s performance following their 3-1 defeat to Senegal in an international friendly on Tuesday.
The match, held at the City Ground, saw England suffer their first-ever defeat to an African team, marking a significant milestone for the visiting West African side.
Kane opened the scoring for the Three Lions in the seventh minute, giving fans early hope. However, goals from Ismaila Sarr, Habib Diarra, and Cheikh Sabaly turned the tide, securing a famous win for the reigning African champions.
Speaking after the match, the Bayern Munich forward admitted England were simply not up to standard on the night.
“Not good enough. We had moments, but with and without the ball, things aren’t clicking. We’re not finding the right tempo,” Kane told reporters in his post-match interview. “We have lost that aggressive nature that we had.”
The 30-year-old stressed that the team must find their rhythm quickly, especially with the 2026 FIFA World Cup looming.
“We need to improve and find solutions. This kind of result is not acceptable if we want to be serious contenders,” he added.
Senegal’s dominant display has drawn praise across the football world, while England’s lackluster showing has raised fresh concerns ahead of their upcoming fixtures.