WATCH: Harry Kane Penalty Drama! England Star Gets Second Chance In FIFA World Cup Twist

Harry Kane FIFA World Cup Penalty: England’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign was barely underway when controversy arrived, with captain Harry Kane finding himself at the centre of a dramatic VAR decision against Croatia. The Three Lions faced Croatia in their opening group-stage match, and the game produced a major talking point inside the opening minutes. Luka Modric was involved in an incident with Noni Madueke inside the penalty area, with referee Clement Turpin deciding that a foul had taken place and immediately awarding England a spot-kick.

Kane’s first attempt was denied by Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, who made an impressive save to keep the score level. However, Croatia’s celebrations did not last long as VAR intervened and changed the course of the moment. Check it out:

Kane miss the penalty but the keeper was off the line so he retook it and scored pic.twitter.com/Fz2hfP0k1I

— La Arána🇦🇷🕷️ (@LOVED1403) June 17, 2026

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VAR Controversy Hands Kane Another Shot

Following a VAR review, England were awarded a retake after Livakovic was judged to have moved off his line too early before Kane made contact with the ball.

According to the rules, goalkeepers must stay on their goal line until the penalty taker strikes the ball. In this instance, Livakovic apparently stepped out before the kick was completed, leading to the decision that gave Kane another opportunity.

The England captain made no mistake with his second attempt. After seeing his initial penalty saved, Kane calmly converted the retake to give England the lead and put the earlier disappointment behind him.

Kane’s approach also played a role in the incident, as he used a stutter-step run-up that appeared to encourage Livakovic into making an early move.

Kane Completes Memorable World Cup Performance

The VAR decision was not the only moment involving movement inside the box, as Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol was also noticed to have stepped into the penalty area before the kick was taken.

After opening the scoring from the penalty spot, Kane continued to influence the match and later added another goal to his tally. The striker found the net with a header from a corner kick, completing a standout individual performance.

England eventually secured a valuable three points from their World Cup opener, defeating Croatia 4-2 in a match that will be remembered for both attacking quality and early VAR drama.

For Kane, the penalty incident provided an unexpected twist, but the captain responded perfectly by scoring from his second chance and helping England begin their tournament with a win.

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