Manchester United legend and former Sunderland manager Roy Keane has hit out at the more experienced England stars who didn't take a penalty kick in Sunday night's Euro 2020 final.
The Three Lions lost to Italy at Wembley following a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out with the game drawn at 1-1 after 120 minutes.
While ex-Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saved penalties from Andrea Belotti and Jorginho, he could only watch as Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and then Arsenal's Bukayo Saka missed from 12 yards.
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Keane had no criticism for those brave enough to take a penalty, but instead pointed the finger at some of the more experienced players in the England squad, such as Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling, who were not part of the nominated five.
“If you’re Sterling or Grealish, you cannot sit there and watch a kid walk up ahead of you, you can’t." Keane said, analysing the game for ITV.
“You can’t sit there and go ‘I see a young kid, 19-year-old, a child, walking up in front of me, and I’ve played a lot more games, I’ve got a lot more experience’.
“Sterling, who has won a lot more games, won trophies. Gareth might have been thinking he's going to be six or seven, you can’t sit there. That must be hard to take, you’ve got to go to this young kid and say I'll step up before you’.”
Keane did have praise for Pickford and his Italian counterpart Gianluigi Donnarumma, who saved five of the 10 penalties between them.
“It’s an amazing night, a brilliant night of football," he added. "I said to Gary (Neville) when it went to penalties that I didn’t think any team deserved to lose it.
“Somebody has to miss a penalty, but it’s not a night to be critical of any of the players, Gareth and his staff.
“I think they’ve been magnificent. Instead of criticising players who miss, I admire players who step up.
“All credit goes to both goalkeepers, they made some brilliant saves.
“It’s a tough night for England, but sometimes you have to lose to win. The World Cup is round the corner and these players will be better for it.
“Tough night, but you have to take your medicine and move on.”
