Donald Trump adds to England's World Cup misery with Harry Kane mockery

Rory Robinson Sat, July 18, 2026 at 1:01 AM UTC

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President Donald Trump mocked golf buddy Harry Kane for being too defensive during the World Cup semifinal -Credit:X @WhiteHouse

President Donald Trump would be the first to admit having little to no knowledge about the deep tactical understanding it takes to win a World Cup matchup, yet he continues to produce loud sports opinions that could only end in public embarrassment.

After England’s 2-1 World Cup semifinal loss to Argentina, President Trump took the opportunity to comment on England captain Harry Kane’s performance while standing next to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Both Trump and Kane have admitted to playing golf together last year in Florida.

Trump said England made a mistake by turning Kane into a defensive player in the 2-1 loss to Argentina. That assessment did not match what actually happened on the field.

Meanwhile, Kane was left impressed by the the president's golf game.

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Kane did drop deeper at times to help link up play, but that is not the same as being moved to center back.

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Trump then shared his thoughts on Kane’s performance. "I think they perhaps made a mistake when they made him a defensive player, but what do I know about soccer?" Trump said.

"They took the lead and took their best player and put him on defense. We gotta be a little offensive right? What do I know about coaching. It was a little unusual, but Harry is a great guy."

Trump was criticized by World Cup fans who watched Kane firsthand and saw him drop from the No. 9 line into deeper spaces, which is something he has done for years with Tottenham, Bayern Munich, and England, while also pressing and helping disrupt Argentina's build-up.

Kane's defensive work was most evident in the sequence immediately before Elliot Anderson's booking in the 37th minute. Argentina star Lionel Messi skipped beyond Djed Spence and a maximum effort Kane before Anderson's late challenge brought him down.

Kane finished with 26 touches, one shot off target, 0.02 expected goals, 0.02 expected assists, six defensive interventions, and two duels won.

Kane ended the match scoreless -Credit:Getty

Kane's heat map showed he spent as much time in his own penalty box as in the opponent's. This was not due to a position change. After Anthony Gordon scored in the 55th minute to give England the lead, Tuchel changed the team's tactics.

England became more defensive and held only 36 percent possession until Messi broke through late in the match. Messi assisted Enzo Fernandez for a goal in the 85th minute, then chipped the ball in stoppage time for Lautaro Martinez's extra-time winning header.

Argentina celebrated by holding up a political banner claiming sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Sports”