Harry Kane hailed as ‘true leader’ by David Beckham for stepping up to take penalty in England loss to France

Kane missed the chance to equalise with five minutes remaining when he blazed his spot-kick over Hugo Lloris’ bar, having scored a penalty earlier in the game.

Despite some late pressure from the Three Lions, it was Didier Deschamps’ side who emerged victorious to set up a semi-final place with surprise packages Morocco on Wednesday thanks to goals from Aurelien Tchouameni and Olivier Giroud.

“Our boys will continue to grow,” Beckham posted on social media.

“It takes a true leader to step up in these moments and that’s what our captain did, the next time it will be a different ending.

“We walk away with our heads held high.”

Meanwhile, Kane’s Tottenham team-mate Lloris believes that the England skipper “forced it a bit” with his spot-kick.

“The first one, we know each other so well, that I said to myself he’ll change,” Lloris said.

“But he stayed with his usual. And the second one I went the right way. Certainly, he must have been feeling the pressure so he lifted it a bit, he forced it a bit. It was an important moment in the game.”

After the game, Kane was asked by ITV if the first penalty had impacted his thought process for the second.

“No. I’m always someone who prepares for getting one or two penalties in a game, I always have an idea of what I want to do,” Kane said.

“I can’t fault my preparation or anything like that, it was just the execution on the night. The first pen was great, the second one I didn’t quite hit it how I wanted to.

“I have to take it on the chin, it will hurt for sure, the whole game will hurt. As the captain, I’ll take that, but I couldn’t be prouder of the boys.

“It comes down to a small detail I’ll take responsibility for. I’m not worried about the team and how it will impact them. We have some great talent.”

Southgate’s side topped Group B after beating Wales and Iran and drawing with the USA, before cruising past Senegal in the last 16.

But defending champions France proved a step too far for the Euro 2020 runners-up, who could not match their feat from four years ago by reaching the last four.

France now face Morocco for a place in the final of the tournament. They could become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup.