England captain Harry Kane has found himself at the center of controversy after revealing a round of golf with President Donald Trump, and now some fans are hoping the Three Lions crash out of the World Cup.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Friday in Palm Beach, the Bayern Munich striker dropped the bombshell that he teed off with the U.S. president about 18 months ago. Kane described the experience as “surreal” and even praised Trump’s golf game.
“He invited me to play when I was down in Palm Beach. So when the President invites you somewhere … It was a pretty surreal experience just to meet him, and to play golf with him. His golf is pretty good, to be honest. I hope I can play golf as well as him when I’m his age, that’s for sure,” Kane said, as reported by The Athletic.
The revelation didn’t sit well with a segment of England’s fanbase. Social media erupted with calls to root against Kane and his teammates in Saturday’s quarterfinal clash with Norway.
“Norway please for the love of god beat England,” one fan posted. Another chimed in, “Meeting Trump when he’s not even your president is insane.” A third asked, “So we’re all rooting for Haaland and Norway, right?”
The backlash mirrors a broader trend of sports fans mixing politics with their allegiances. Earlier this year, some American fans found themselves cheering against the U.S. men's national team after Trump’s FIFA intervention, and Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku even trolled Trump with a dance after scoring.
Kane’s comments also come amid a World Cup where Trump has been a constant presence. He recently warned FIFA that the U.S. would cry “rigged” if they lost, adding fuel to the fire.
On the pitch, England has had a roller-coaster tournament. They edged past DR Congo and Mexico in dramatic knockout matches, with Kane delivering six goals in five games. The 32-year-old is chasing his 15th World Cup goal and will lead the line against Norway on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET.
But for some fans, Kane’s off-field choices have overshadowed his on-field brilliance. “I will never root for you again,” one disgruntled supporter wrote. “Just disgusting and sad.”
Whether the backlash affects England’s performance remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Kane’s golf game with Trump has turned a World Cup quarterfinal into a political lightning rod.
