Gary Lineker explains why he believes Harry Kane could quit international football, after claiming the Three Lions skipper was 'not himself' at Euro 2024

Gary Lineker has explained why he believes England captain Harry Kane could quit international football after Euro 2024. 

The Three Lions' lengthy wait for a major men's trophy will now reach 60 years after goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal condemned them to a second straight European Championship sucker punch in Berlin on Sunday night.

Substitute Cole Palmer had hauled Southgate's side back on level terms but Oyarzabal stabbed home the dramatic winner four minutes from time.

Harry Kane, hauled off on the hour mark after another ineffectual performance, was a hot topic of conversation on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast.

Lineker claimed the Bayern Munich striker 'was not himself' throughout the tournament and suggested he could step away from international football. 

'Part of [looking to] the future in my mind was what England do, what does Harry Kane do? He was not himself in this tournament,' he added.

'He's in his 30s now, Micah. When I was 30, 31, my legs started to go.

'I retired from international football at 32. At 31 that was happening [legs going] and it's horrible, it's horrible.'

Lineker compared Euro 92 - his final major tournament - and this summer's edition for Kane.

'I felt [it] in that last season - which is one of the reasons I decided to retire from international football, to finish in English football, to move to Japan,' Lineker said.

'I could feel my legs going. I was poor in that last [major tournament, Euro 92].

'I was made a martyr because Graham Taylor brought me off but he had every right to bring me off because I was passed my best. It happens to some people at some point.

'Maybe he was just tired or carrying a little something that affected him and that [his legs going] might not be the case.

'But I wonder. What is he, coming up to 31 now? That's exactly the time when I started to feel that way.'

Despite his poor performances, Kane ended Euro 2024 on three goals, the joint-highest, and took his England tally to 66 in 98 appearances in the process. 

The 31-year-old showed no signs that he will retire from international football on the morning after the agonising defeat against Spain. 

He posted on X: 'Heartbroken we couldn’t achieve what we worked so hard to. It was a long tough tournament and I’m so proud of the boys and staff for getting to the final. 

'Ultimately we fell short of our target and will have to live with that but as we always do we will pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and be ready to fight again in an England shirt. 

'Thank you to all the fans that believed in us and supported us to the very end!'