Former referee shares the ‘not-so-great’ trick Harry Kane uses when chatting with the referee in England vs Argentina game.
A former Premier League referee has said that England captain Harry Kane often uses a tactic that makes referees get “fed up” with him during England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina.
Matches between England and Argentina have always been intense, with a rivalry that goes beyond football. Before the semi-final, much of the talk focused on Argentine fans singing anti-England songs about the 1982 Falklands War and Diego Maradona’s famous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the 1986 World Cup.
Forty years later, the semi-final was just as tense, with Argentina using some rough tactics and tough challenges. Jude Bellingham and Elliot Anderson, who got a yellow card in the first half, were involved in several physical and verbal battles. Lisandro Martínez was also booked for pulling back Morgan Rogers as England tried to counter-attack.
Fans wondered why it took so long for Argentina to get a booking, especially since Enzo Fernández committed several fouls without being booked. Despite Argentina’s aggressive play, former referee Graham Scott was critical of Kane’s behavior.
In The Athletic’s live coverage, he wrote: “Kane is always talking to the referee, but he’s not very good at it — he asks sarcastic questions. This often backfires because the ref just gets fed up with him.”
Fans had mixed reactions on social media. One said, “Maybe team captains should get training, even from a psychologist, on how to talk to referees. Every little help counts.” Another added, “Meanwhile, Argentina and other South American teams complain a lot, crowd the referee, and waste time all the time. They play dirty.”
A third fan said, “The debate about players talking to referees goes on. Kane keeps talking to the ref as part of his leadership, but some think too much pressure can make things worse.” A fourth commented, “Talking to the ref is part of the game, but how you do it matters. If you’re always complaining or being sarcastic, it might hurt your team more than help.”
The winner of the semi-final will play Spain at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey on Sunday, July 19.