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Ex-Manchester United star Roy Keane sympathized with the English football team following their World Cup exit, after a 2-1 defeat to France in the quarter-final of the tournament at Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar. The former Nottingham forest, Man United and Celtic midfielder said that England’s knock-out courtesy of Les Bleus was a reminder that the “top level” of sport is often ‘brutal.’
Saturday evening’s defeat marks a record seventh time that England were disqualified from a major international tournament at the quarter-final stage. The nation has also garnered a reputation for penalty woes and that ghost struck the Three Lions once again against France.
A Brutal Defeat for England
Aurelien Tchouameni opened scoring for France in the 17th minute with a thunderously powerful shot from well outside the English area and it too until the second-half for England to respond, through a Harry Kane penalty. Later in the half Olivier Giroud headed in for France to take the lead but England would soon win another penalty to take things to extra-time.
Kane stepped up again but this time the unfortunate England captain hit his 84th minute effort far too high and it flew over the French goalposts. Marcus Rashford had an injury time free-kick just fly centimetres wide and Gareth Southgate’s England would succumb to a 2-1 defeat.
Despite the loss, England proved themselves the better side for much of the game and some players were critical of the referee, particularly his decision not to award Bukayo Saka a penalty before Tchouameni went up the other end to score for France.

Roy Keane’s Assessment
Roy Keane was working as a pundit on ITV for the game and said that England were “outstanding” in the fixture and felt they could take positives from the defeat. However, he also impressed on his TV panelists that the loss was a reminder that you don’t always get what you feel you deserve in “top level” sport.
“Just a reminder top level sport is brutal,” Keane stated on ITV.
“Absolutely brutal,” he explained, “I thought England were outstanding, the better team but you have to give France credit, they know how to win the game, they weren’t at their best but they found a way. ”
Keane added that the loss was “Really tough on England.”
Gary Neville’s Reaction
Gary Neville was also present as a pundit on ITV yesterday evening, and echoed much of what Keane was saying. Neville praised the performance of England against the reigning World Cup champions.
“Absolutely gutted for Harry Kane, gutted for the lads, they played so well in that second-half,” Neville said after the game.
“It was a 50/50 game they just came the wrong side of, you wouldn’t have had anyone else to take that penalty, he would’ve been England’s greatest ever goalscorer,” he added.
“The heartbreak, they’ve had to work so hard, they’ve now got to wait four years,” the ITV pundit added.
“Look this is no disgrace, England have lost pretty badly in tournaments but they played pretty well against a great side and I thought they edged it in the end not tonight.”
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