Even English legends feel Harry Kane lucked into penalty in Euro semifinal

Barely 11 minutes after Xavi Simons gave the Netherlands a 1-0 lead over England in Wednesday's Euro 2024 semifinal, a highly contentious decision allowed the Three Lions to equalize.

The controversial moment saw England being awarded a penalty when Harry Kane went down in pain after being upended by Denzel Dumfries. Initially, referee Felix Zwayer called for a goal kick, but seconds later, a VAR review was called upon. Just as Zwayer checked the monitor, ITV on-air announcer and English legend Lee Dixon said he would be "astonished" if a penalty was awarded.

After Zwayer granted Kane a penalty, Manchester United legend Gary Neville called the decision "an absolute disgrace" and led a tirade on social media. Neville noted that none of England's players on the field were calling for a penalty kick, either, only adding to the strangeness of the official's decision. 

"Look, as a defender myself, that was an absolute disgrace," Neville said during ITV's halftime show. "That was nowhere near a penalty at any time, but especially in a game of such importance.... He [Dumfries] just goes in naturally to try and block the shot. It's nowhere near a penalty and I don't think many England players were claiming for it either."

When Ian Wright defended the decision by calling Dumfries' shot contest "reckless," Neville snapped back: "We're all going mad. If someone thinks that is reckless, honestly."

Besides Dixon and Neville, Jamie Carragher and Alan Shearer also slammed the decision. While Carragher made his feelings known via social media, Shearer said on BBC's broadcast that Dumfries was in a perfectly legal position when he tried to block the ball from Kane. 

"There is no doubt that there is contact, but the defender [Dumfries] is trying to block the ball," Shearer said. "The follow through from Harry Kane makes the connection and I didn't think it was a howler to be turned over [by VAR review]."

You know England got lucky when four of its legends think the team didn't deserve a penalty. 

Elsewhere, Netherlands legend Pierre van Hooijdonk called for Zwayer to "be blacklisted" for his decision, and Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk didn't hold back on his criticism of the referee, either.