The Harry Kane 'curse' continues: England star trolled after Spain lift Euro 2024 title, meme fest explodes
England star Harry Kane, despite his individual accolades and goal-scoring records, remains without a major team trophy. Striker faced severe criticism after Three Lions' defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
England's 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin on Sunday has reignited discussions about the so-called "Harry Kane curse," as fans took to social media to troll the England captain following the heartbreaking loss. Despite a valiant effort, the Three Lions once again fell short in a major tournament, prompting a wave of memes and jokes at Kane's expense.
Spain's victory came after a dramatic match where Kane was substituted after 60 minutes, missing the decisive moments of the game. Spain took the lead through Nico Williams shortly after the break, only for Cole Palmer to equalize for England. However, Mikel Oyarzabal’s late winner sealed Spain’s triumph, leaving Kane and his teammates to grapple with another near-miss.
"It's hard to put into words how we're all feeling right now... We did well to get back into the game and struggled to build on that," Kane said in a post-match interview with ITV.
The defeat, compounded by past disappointments in the Euro 2020 final and the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals, has fueled the narrative of Kane’s misfortune in crucial moments.
Social media quickly exploded with memes mocking the "Harry Kane curse," with many fans pointing to his missed penalty in the 2022 World Cup and England’s inability to secure a trophy despite coming close multiple times. The trolling was relentless, with users humorously blaming Kane for England’s perennial heartbreaks.
The 30-year-old striker, despite his individual accolades and goal-scoring records, remains without a major team trophy.
Prior to the final, Kane had expressed his desperation for Euros glory, stating he would "swap everything in my career" for the title. Unfortunately, his dream remains unfulfilled, adding more fodder to the online mockery.
England manager Gareth Southgate, who has overseen the team's progress since 2016, expressed uncertainty about his future following the loss. "I don’t think now is a good time to make a decision like that. I’m going to talk to the right people," Southgate said, hinting at possible changes ahead.
As England reflects on another missed opportunity, the meme fest surrounding Harry Kane’s perceived jinx shows no signs of slowing down. The star striker, known for his resilience, will need to overcome both the on-field challenges and the off-field trolling as he continues his quest for a major trophy.
Here's a look at some of the memes that took X by storm as England's Harry Kane continues to wait for his turn to lift a title in his sprawling career: