Internationals – record-breaker Lloris progresses amidst Kane agony

Hugo Lloris celebrated becoming France’s most-capped men’s player of all time by helping his nation into the World Cup semi-finals at the expense of England, for whom Harry Kane scored one penalty before missing a crucial late second.

On a dramatic, emotional night at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor on Saturday, where both participating countries were captained by our players, it was Hugo who was able to savour a 2-1 victory, while a distraught Harry, along with Eric Dier, had the bitterest of pills to swallow as the Three Lions bowed out of the competition.

Away from the on-pitch action, records tumbled. Hugo registered his 143rd senior appearance for France, overtaking Lilian Thuram’s record of 142 – Lilian’s son Marcus Thuram was an unused substitute for Les Bleus on the night – while Harry became England’s joint-highest goalscorer, level with Wayne Rooney on 53, when he netted his 54th-minute penalty.

But it was Harry’s second spot-kick six minutes from time that will be the striker’s painful, abiding memory of Saturday’s tightly-contested quarter-final. Having sent Hugo the wrong way with his first penalty, which cancelled out Aurelien Tchouameni’s first-half opener for France, the England skipper had a chance to keep his side in the tournament – at least until a winner could be decided on the night – towards the end of the match after Olivier Giroud had made it 2-1 to the reigning champions.

Unfortunately and uncharacteristically, though, he drove his fiercely-struck shot over the bar as Hugo dived the right way and despite a lengthy period of stoppage time, Gareth Southgate’s men couldn’t subsequently find an equaliser.

Harry had tested Hugo twice in the first half, initially from a tight angle on the right inside the box and then with a deflected effort from distance, while he also fired off a low left-footed attempt early in the second period that Hugo routinely got down to save.

Both players completed the full game on opposite sides and sportingly shared an embrace afterwards, while Eric remained an unused substitute for England. Also on the bench was our Head of Academy Coaching, Chris Powell, who is part of the Three Lions’ coaching staff.

France will now go on to face Morocco in the last four on Wednesday. Of the 12 who started out, three of our players are left in the competition, with Argentina’s Cristian Romero and Croatia’s Ivan Perisic set to face each other in the other semi-final on Tuesday.

World Cup semi-final fixtures for our players

Tuesday 13 December

Cristian Romero / Ivan Perisic – Argentina 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-final against Croatia – kick-off 7pm

Wednesday 14 December

Hugo Lloris – France 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-final against Morocco – kick-off 7pm