Harry Kane's Missed Penalty Leaves Fans in Disbelief as France Advances at World Cup

Mike Chiari @@mikechiariFeatured Columnist IVDecember 10, 2022

AL KHOR, QATAR - DECEMBER 10: A dejected Harry Kane of England reacts after his team is knocked out of the World Cup during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 quarter final match between England and France at Al Bayt Stadium on December 10, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar. (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images)

James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images

Soccer fans from England and across the world were left flabbergasted by Harry Kane's missed penalty kick late in Saturday's 2-1 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal loss to France.

Just minutes after Olivier Giroud's 78th-minute goal gave France a 2-1 lead, Kane made his way to the spot following a foul on England's Mason Mount in the box.

Kane had scored on a penalty in the 54th minute to tie the game and tie him with Wayne Rooney for the most career goals in the history of England's senior national team, but his second PK attempt was sent well over the bar:

FOX Soccer @FOXSoccer
HARRY KANE MISSES THE PENALTY 😱 <a href="https://t.co/UwDpI8qXpQ">pic.twitter.com/UwDpI8qXpQ</a>

While French superstar Kylian Mbappé was elated by the miss, many others were left in disbelief:

ESPN FC @ESPNFC
Mbappe's reaction to Harry Kane's miss: <a href="https://t.co/KEwSJNPfZA">pic.twitter.com/KEwSJNPfZA</a>

B/R Football @brfootball
HARRY KANE REALLY HIT IT OVER THE BAR 😱 <a href="https://t.co/fVvnM3vDin">pic.twitter.com/fVvnM3vDin</a>

✨ Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content

Zito @_Zeets
Harry Kane, what the hell was that?

Complex Sports @ComplexSports
Oh no, Harry Kane... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENG</a> <a href="https://t.co/0A08vHHada">pic.twitter.com/0A08vHHada</a>

talkSPORT @talkSPORT
The reaction from England fans at the talkSPORT Fan Zone to Harry Kane's penalty miss ❌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TSWorldCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TSWorldCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/4kQnssgec8">pic.twitter.com/4kQnssgec8</a>

Sky Sports Football @SkyFootball
HARRY KANE BLAZES IT OVER THE BAR! 😱<br><br>After a VAR check, England are awarded a second penalty but Kane can't repeat his first-half antics... 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿❌ <a href="https://t.co/jsQmjkrbXr">pic.twitter.com/jsQmjkrbXr</a>

Bruce Arthur @bruce_arthur
Oh no, Harry Kane

Murat Ates @WPGMurat
Oh Harry Kane, no.

Ryan O'Hanlon @rwohan
The World Cup is cruel. I thought that was maybe the best England performance of the Southgate Era.

Squawka pointed out the disparity between the two penalties Kane took Saturday, and others took the opportunity to poke fun at the British striker's high-pressure miss:

Squawka @Squawka
A tale of two Harry Kane penalties. <a href="https://t.co/dbXzmYvTSy">pic.twitter.com/dbXzmYvTSy</a>

Barstool Sportsbook @BSSportsbook
*Harry Kane lines up for the Penalty* <a href="https://t.co/Rewt5eWZAF">pic.twitter.com/Rewt5eWZAF</a>

Ammar… @AmmarAtal
Le penalty de KANE HARRY <a href="https://t.co/wyEPjEFQcv">pic.twitter.com/wyEPjEFQcv</a>

Brian 🕋 @_N0tBrxxn
HARRY KANE FOR THE TIE <a href="https://t.co/w50Qfmp4iY">pic.twitter.com/w50Qfmp4iY</a>

juju 💰 @ayeejuju
here's harry kane's penalty 😭😭 <a href="https://t.co/n591vvXl6b">pic.twitter.com/n591vvXl6b</a>

England entered the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar as one of the top contenders, but as has been the case for several decades in a row, the squad is going home once again without a trophy.

The Three Lions have only one World Cup title, that being a victory in 1966. Since then, they haven't even managed to reach a final.

They had the better of the play for long stretches Saturday, but they ran into a battle-tested squad in France, which won the World Cup four years ago and is now two wins away from being the first repeat winners since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.

Thanks to Giroud's goal and Kane's miss, France is moving on to the semifinals Wednesday to face one of the biggest Cinderella stories in the history of the World Cup in Morocco.

Morocco held on for a 1-0 win over Portugal on Saturday, making it the first African nation to ever reach the World Cup semifinals. Meanwhile, Argentina and 2018 World Cup runner-up Croatia will meet in the other semifinal.