England captain Harry Kane believes the Three Lions have yet to reach their full potential despite booking a place in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals.
Thomas Tuchel's side needed extra time to overcome Norway 2-1 in the quarter-finals and will now face defending champions Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday, with a place in the final at stake.
Following the victory, Tuchel delivered a frank assessment of his team's display, describing England as "sloppy" and "lucky" while insisting they made too many technical errors and failed to play with enough speed and intensity.
Kane, who has scored six goals during the tournament and shares England's scoring lead with Jude Bellingham, understands his manager's frustration.
"When he watches us in training, he sees how close we are as a group and the quality we have going forward," Kane said.
"He wants to see that version of us on the pitch."
"He knows it's not that simple because we're playing against top-quality opposition, but he's trying to get the very best out of us."
The Bayern Munich striker admitted England have only shown flashes of their best football so far.
"We know ourselves there's another level we can reach," Kane said.
"We've shown it in moments, including against Norway, but we haven't controlled games the way we'd like to."
"Now we're facing one of the best teams in the world in the semi-finals, so it's encouraging that we've reached this stage while still believing we can improve."
Despite acknowledging there is room for growth, Kane insisted England should remain positive heading into their biggest test of the tournament.
"We're doing a lot of good things, so there's no reason to overreact."
Jude Bellingham, who scored twice against Norway after also netting a brace in the previous round, offered a different perspective on Tuchel's criticism.
"It's incredibly difficult out there," Bellingham said.
"The conditions are tough and the players gave everything."
He also pointed to the quality of the opposition, led by stars such as Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard, Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sørloth.
"Maybe the manager doesn't know what it's like to play in those conditions against players of that quality," Bellingham added.
"I can't praise the lads enough for the effort they put in."
England are just one win away from reaching their first World Cup final since lifting the trophy in 1966.
The Three Lions have reached only four World Cup semi-finals in their history, while recent near misses include defeats in the Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 finals.
Kane believes this generation has consistently shown it can compete at the highest level, but now must take the final step.
"It's been an incredibly successful era for England," he said.
"The missing piece is getting over the line."
"We've been knocking on the door by reaching semi-finals and finals."
"Now it's another huge week for us."
"We've been together for six weeks and everyone has shown complete commitment to the badge."
"We'll need one more big push."
"Ultimately, we're in a World Cup semi-final, and that's something we should enjoy while we fight for the chance to make history."
