Kane: 'Silly' FA tweet product of English football's 'strange' mentality

Harry Kane broke the silence over his recent treatment from the Football Association, citing it as an example of England's peculiar attitude toward its national team.

The 24-year-old is his country's first-choice striker and could skipper the Three Lions at the World Cup, but English football's governing body mocked him following a quiet showing in Tottenham Hotspur's FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester United in April. The FA tweeted "What's in your pocket, Chris?" after the match, and accompanied the text with an unrelated video of United defender Chris Smalling saying: "Harry Kane."

The FA's social media usage sparked incredulity among some football pundits and Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, and could be judged as ill-timed. Kane had recently attracted criticism for claiming a goal from club teammate Christian Eriksen in his bid for a third straight Premier League Golden Boot.

Related - Pochettino: Kane will 'learn a lot' from social media battering

"The FA tweet was a silly tweet," Kane told the Guardian's Jacob Steinberg. "We all know that. I talked to the gaffer about it and all we said was: 'Would other countries do that to their players?' Probably not.

"It is something that has gone. Two weeks ago now or whatever - I am over it. The gaffer may have said I am sad but I am focused. I am a guy that gets over things. If it happened, it happened. I move on and look forward to the next game and that is all I worry about."

Pochettino aired his own opinion of the FA's tweet before the weekend's league action, declaring it "embarrassing" and "very, very difficult" to understand. He also revealed that the FA issued an apology over the incident.

"It's strange," Kane added. "Maybe it's a mentality thing. It is easier nowadays maybe to banter England players or take the mickey out of the England players. So if we don't do well in the World Cup, then they can write and say: 'We told you so.' But that is maybe a weaker mentality.

"It is what it is. We are focusing on what we have got to do. We have got to go with the mindset and belief we can do it. We try to win everything we go into. The World Cup is no different."

Kane pocketed his 27th goal of the Premier League season in Monday's 2-0 win over Watford, putting him four behind Mohamed Salah's count with three matches left in Spurs' campaign. Salah was kept goalless in Liverpool's home draw with Stoke City on Saturday, and has two games to add to his tally before the Reds conclude their domestic commitments.