Harry Kane and Lionel Messi were on opposite ends of one of the most dramatic nights of the 2026 World Cup, when Argentina came from behind to beat England 2-1 in stoppage time in the semifinal in Atlanta.

Despite the heartbreak for the English captain, the match ended with a visible show of mutual respect between the two, embracing on the pitch once the final whistle blew. Months later, Kane revisited that moment in an interview with Marca, reflecting on what he saw in Messi that day and throughout his career.

Asked about that embrace, Kane pointed to the specific trait he believes separates Messi from the rest: “He has always put the team ahead of himself, and I think that’s one of the reasons Argentina had the success they did“.

Messi’s numbers throughout the tournament backed up that reading of him as a team-first player. The Argentine captain finished the World Cup with 12 goal involvements (eight goals and four assists), second only to Kylian Mbappe’s 14, while pushing his career World Cup goal tally to 21, the second-highest total in the competition’s history, all while directing Argentina’s run to the final.

Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina is congratulated by Harry Kane #9 of England. (Getty Images)

Looking back on how he handled the defeat, Kane made clear that showing respect in that moment mattered to him just as much as the result. “That day, after losing, I tried to keep my head held high and show respect for the other team. I think that was important, especially towards Leo, for how incredible he’s been in football for so many years,” he said, closing the chapter on one of the World Cup’s most talked-about individual moments.

Kane recalls the embrace and what he told Messi after the final whistle

Amid the immediate disappointment of England’s elimination, Kane still made a point of seeking Messi out on the pitch once the match ended, sharing a personal moment with the Argentine captain before either side had even left the field.

“I remember hugging him and wishing him good luck for the final. It wasn’t our World Cup in the end, but that’s what a World Cup is about: the best players facing off on the biggest stage, and of course, there’s always going to be a loser,” Kane said.

For Kane, the gesture was less about the result and more about recognizing what he’d just witnessed, a reminder that even in defeat, sharing the stage with a legend was something worth acknowledging in the moment rather than letting the loss overshadow it.