England Captain Harry Kane Baffled After Receiving Yellow Card For Diving Against Malta

Harry Kane was shown a yellow card for an apparent dive in the first half of England's Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta at Wembley on Friday.

Harry Kane was shown a yellow card for an apparent dive in the first half of England's Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta at Wembley on Friday.

Kane intercepted a loose pass by Malta keeper Henry Bonello in the 28th minute before dribbling around him and then falling to the ground.

Many England fans celebrated, wrongly assuming that Portuguese referee Luis Godinho was about to award a penalty kick.

But Godinho opted to book Kane and award an indirect free-kick to Malta instead.

Harry Kane receives a yellow card for simulation 🟨 pic.twitter.com/6bw7WLNNt0

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 17, 2023

Kane booked for diving but should this have been a penalty 🧐#ThreeLions | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/E8PICy24j7

— Channel 4 Sport (@C4Sport) November 17, 2023

England captain Harry Kane pictured (right) falling to the ground after dribbling around Malta goalkeeper Henry Bonello during Friday's Euro 2024 qualifier at Wembley / FOX Soccer

Kane was baffled. But the VAR did not believe that the referee had made a clear and obvious error by not awarding a penalty, so Kane's yellow card stood.

England were leading 1-0 at this point after Enrico Pepe had scored an own goal in the eighth minute by deflecting an attempted Phil Foden pass into the net.

Kane later found the net in the 75th minute as England went on to beat Malta 2-0.