Harry Kane said England's World Cup exit was the most painful near miss yet due to the manner of a semifinal collapse to Argentina that "wasn't us as a team."

The wounds from the agonising late loss remain raw as Thomas Tuchel's group reconvenes 10 weeks on for the start of their Nations League campaign. England's latest attempt to bounce back from heartbreak begins on Saturday at Wembley against Spain, who beat them in the last European Championship final.

"I'm so passionate about England, especially because I have been on this journey now," the long-serving skipper said. "I have been to the finals, to semifinals and been so close. Each one hurts in a different way. This one hurt, for sure. More than any other one."

Kane said the pain from such disappointments "stays with you" and must act as fuel as England players and staff try to find how they can be both better and themselves in the biggest moments. "It's something that we haven't quite been able to do in latter stages of tournaments against the bigger nations and the better nations," the 121-cap striker said.