Hart shoulders England blame

Joe Hart has taken the responsibility for England’s shock exit from Euro 2016 at the hands of Iceland on Monday night.

Despite taking an early lead in Nice thanks to a Wayne Rooney penalty, the Three Lions were eliminated at the last-16 stage of the tournament courtesy of a 2-1 defeat to the minnows.

The Strakarnir okkar hit back immediately after going behind when Ragnar Sigurdsson drilled home a quickfire equaliser before Kolbeinn Sigthorsson’s shot squirmed under Hart’s left hand on 18 minutes.

That strike turned out to be the eventual winning goal and was also Manchester City stopper Hart’s second high-profile error of the tournament, having also been at fault for Gareth Bale’s long-range effort in the win over Wales.

Iceland will now meet France in the quarter-finals on Sunday, a game they are 9.50 to win, with the draw 4.33 and Les Bleus the clear 1.40 favourites.

For England, however, it was again a case of what might have been after failing to deliver at both ends on Monday night and in the aftermath boss Roy Hodgson confirmed his intention to leave his role. Hart says he is the one to blame for the result and admits he has simply not performed at Euro 2016.

“I’ve got to be saving the second goal. I’ve got to hold my hands up to that and I apologise for ultimately costing us the game and the tournament,” he told ITV. “The standards I set haven’t been met in this tournament. Like I say, I apologise for the goal. There are going to be massive regrets, personally and as a team.”