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That Spitting Thing at the World Cup? It’s Probably ‘Carb Rinsing’

Harry Kane, England’s captain and the World Cup’s leading scorer, has at times appeared more interested in rinsing his mouth with fluid than swallowing it during the tournament.

Late in an epic second-round match against Colombia that extended through 30 minutes of added time and penalty kicks, Kane vigorously squirted his sports-drink bottle into his mouth. Then he expectorated a geyser of fluid instead of ingesting it.

Other players on England, which faces Croatia in a semifinal on Wednesday, also rinse and spit during breaks as they tire late in matches and performance tends to decline. So have many players on other teams.