England skipper Harry Kane has come to the defense of his teammates after youngsters Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, and Bukayo Saka missed the final three penalties on Sunday.

Following the defeat to Italy, the trio all received harsh criticism and racial abuse online because of their skin color. Kane sent a stern message to all of those keyboard heroes on Monday:

While England failed to bring it home, Saka, Sancho, and Rashford certainly deserve credit for stepping up to the plate in the first place. All three players barely featured in the tournament and came on as substitutes in the final at Wembley.

It was a questionable decision from bench boss Gareth Southgate to select them in the first place, especially the 19-year-old Saka taking the decisive spot-kick in his first major tournament with England. Southgate took full responsibility after the loss, too. Many were also left wondering why he didn't allow the very experienced Raheem Sterling to take a penalty considering the form he was in.

Although the Three Lions failed to capture the ultimate prize, it was an impressive showing. They're brimming with talent and should be a force for many years to come. Now, Harry Kane and England will look ahead to next year's World Cup in Qatar.