World Cup: England captain Harry Kane limps off with ankle strapping but Southgate says he is ‘fine’

England have suffered a massive injury after captain Harry Kane stumbled out of the Khalifa International Stadium wearing an ankle bracelet after their World Cup opener against Iran.

The skipper was substituted after 76 minutes on Monday afternoon, shortly after Iranian defender Morteza Pouraliganji was booked for a rash sliding on him during England’s 6-2 win.

As Kane left the Khalifa stadium, he stumbled onto the team bus with his ankle covered in tires – but manager Gareth Southgate insisted he was ‘fine’ to reporters.

England suffered a major injury when Harry Kane (centre) limped off with ankle ligament

The Three Lions captain was taken off after a heavy tackle in Monday’s 6-2 win against Iran

Kane has suffered several ankle injuries throughout his career with Tottenham Hotspur and England, meaning another punch would be a major concern given his stature in the team.

The incident, which came in the 48th minute in Doha, saw centre-back Pouraliganji make a desperate lunge to try and win the ball from the Tottenham striker.

Kane’s ankle was caught between the defender’s leg and the ground and rolled painfully, causing the star to flinch forward in pain.

After receiving several minutes of treatment, he continued to play but was later replaced up front by Callum Wilson, presumably with a view to preventing further damage.

Kane shuddered after the sliding challenge – but boss Gareth Southgate says he’s ‘fine’

The tying up may be a precautionary measure, especially as Southgate told reporters after the game that Kane is fine.

The sun reports he will be assessed in the next two days, but England are not seriously concerned about his condition.

England will play the USA on Friday before clashing against Wales in their final Group B game on Tuesday.

On Monday, Bukayo Saka scored a nice double, with Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish also on the scoresheet.