Mauricio Pochettino has urged England not to shoot themselves in the foot by getting on the backs of the players ahead of the World Cup after branding the Football Association “embarrassing” for mocking Harry Kane.

The FA was forced to apologise for a tweet sent from the official FA Cup account hours after Tottenham Hotspur’s semi-final defeat by Manchester United last weekend.

The message asked United defender Chris Smalling, “What’s in your pocket?” and included a short video clip of him saying, “Harry Kane”.

Both Tottenham and United were unimpressed with the tweet and Kane was once again the butt of jokes the following evening at the Professional Footballers’ Association awards ceremony.

Chairman Ben Purkiss said, “Harry Kane is so prolific that he is able to score without touching the ball”, in reference to the goal against Stoke City that was awarded to the striker.