On a disappointing night for England in Paris, captain Harry Kane was the redeeming player.
The game finished 3-2 to France, but the prolific Tottenham Hotspur striker added two goals to his tally to make it three in just two appearances as England’s skipper – scoring a close range finish and a coolly taken penalty on the night.
Harry Kane gets on the end of a great move to give England the lead – watch live on ITV pic.twitter.com/im6NClgUph
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 13, 2017
It's a cool penalty from @harry kane to draw @England level – watch LIVE on @ITV pic.twitter.com/yww0GNR6Po
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 13, 2017
Kane’s goals took him to eight for England and 11 in his past five games for club and country.The 23-year-old’s extraordinary form has had some England fans thinking it’s all a bit too good to be true.
Does Harry Kane know he's English? I know, odd question, but he has no right being English, and being this good. What's he playing at.
— NepentheZ (@NepentheZ) June 13, 2017
Meanwhile, many others reckon he now rubs shoulders with the very best.
Harry kane is best striker in the world, retweet if you agree
— GAkillya (@georgeachillea) June 13, 2017
And some thought he just needed the same chances French striker Kylian Mbappe was getting – who failed to get his name on the scoresheet but not for lack of trying.
If Kane had the chances Mbappe has had tonight he would've scored 374 goals tonight. Fact.
— Graham Kingsbury (@grayjam68) June 13, 2017
No exaggeration of course…However, a former England defender did point out something very poignant about the French striker.
Mbappe is 18 ??????????
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) June 13, 2017
Perhaps he just might have time to become as good a finisher as Kane.A late goal from 20-year-old Ousmane Dembele gave France the victory in the Stade de France – despite them going a player down after a red card to defender Raphael Varane.
The red card was given after a controversial decision made using the video referee system being trialled at the game – from which the officials judged Varane to have brought down England’s Dele Alli illegally in the area, with just French goalkeeper and captain Huge Lloris to beat.