International Football
Kane says World Cup penalty miss will haunt him for rest of his life
Harry Kane said his World Cup penalty miss that condemned England to a quarter-final exit will stay with him for the rest of his life but vowed it will not affect him personally or professionally and has made him hungrier than ever for success.
In England’s 2-1 defeat to France last month, captain Kane scored their first goal from the spot but blazed his effort over the bar when presented with a second chance to pull them level six minutes before the final whistle.
“I’ll probably remember it for the rest of my life, but that’s part of the game. It’s not going to affect me as a player or as a person. I’ll keep working hard to improve,” Kane told the Evening Standard newspaper.
“After it happened, I just wanted to play again as quick as possible and get it out of my head. It’s something you have to deal with …. It was a tough moment for me. It’s never an easy thing to go through, but it’s part of the highs and lows of our sport.”
Since returning to Tottenham Hotspur, Kane has found the net three times in as many games and scored a brace in Wednesday’s 4-0 Premier League win at Crystal Palace.
“I had a bit of time away after, just to reflect, and it’s made me even more hungry to come back and be successful. So nights like last night (against Palace) are always good for me and the team, and it was much needed after the last couple of results,” Kane added.
Kane also welcomed manager Gareth Southgate’s decision to stay on and lead England’s 2024 European Championship campaign, saying they have a point to prove after defeats by Italy in the Euro 2020 final and Croatia in the 2018 World Cup semi-final.
“I’m really happy (he’s staying),” Kane said. “I feel like there’s some unfinished business there and he’s a fantastic coach.
“We’ve been close now on a few occasions. We looked strong in the tournament and it was small details that ended up not going our way. It will be nice to have another go at the Euros with the same team and staff.
“He’s been fantastic for me and a lot of other players. Business starts in March again and we’ll be ready.”
-Reuters
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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