Nations League 2019: Harry Kane calls on England to ‘use big disappointments’ to spur Euro 2020 success

The Three Lions have now lost two consecutive semi-finals

Harry Kane has called on England to “use the big disappointments” of two consecutive semi-final defeats to spur them on to Euro 2020 next summer.

England lost 3-1 to the Netherlands in extra time in Guimaraes last night, having lost 2-1 to Croatia in extra-time in the World Cup semi-final in Moscow last July.

Gareth Southgate‘s young side is still waiting to make that next step into a final and Kane said, in the aftermath of the Dutch defeat, that England have to learn from these last two campaigns to improve for next time.

“That is the challenge now,” Kane said. “We won’t know until we get there of course, but we have got to use these big games and big disappointments to motivate and help us learn.”

The lack of game management was a problem in both semi-finals, as England took the lead before letting it slip, eventually losing the game in extra-time. Kane told his team-mates they have to “find a way to win” in the biggest games, to avoid the same disappointments again next summer.

“We are a young team, but all of us now are playing in big games for club and country, so it is a good sign of where the nation is going,” Kane said. “But of course in those big moments it is down to us to progress and find a way to win. We have got to qualify [for Euro 2020] first, but that will hopefully be our challenge next year.”

Despite the disappointment of last night, Kane was pleased with how the team has progressed since the World Cup. They had to beat Croatia and Spain to get here and Kane was impressed that they had not just relaxed after last summer.

“I think it has been really good,” Kane said. “To be honest, it would have been easy to take your foot off the gas after that summer and be happy with what we achieved.

Kane despairs as England suffer defeat to the Netherlands (Getty)

“But we got to the semi-final of the best 12 teams in Europe. We had a tough group with Spain and Croatia and we got through that – and that was progression. Of course it hurts again to lose in another semi-final like this but we are knocking on the door and that is what we have got to take inspiration from.”