For the second time in eight years, England led a World Cup semi-final, and for the second time, they are not going to the final. Argentina delivered the gut punch in Atlanta, scoring late to beat the Three Lions 2-1 and deny them a trip to their first men's World Cup final since 1966. This crushing defeat mirrors their 2018 loss to Croatia, only this time it was Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez who broke hearts with late goals.
That Devastating Collapse In Atlanta
The game in Atlanta felt like it was finally going England's way for a long stretch. Anthony Gordon put them ahead in the 55th minute, finishing off a wicked cross from Morgan Rogers. The crowd roared, the dream was alive. But then the wheels fell off. Dan Burn, who came on as a second-half substitute with England up 1-0, didn't mince words after the final whistle. "Gutted," he said. "Absolutely gutted." He felt they nailed the gameplan early, but then got "too passive, conceded too many crosses and too many chances." Against a team of Argentina's quality, that costs you big time. "This will haunt me for a long time, I think," Burn admitted, and honestly, who could blame him? Martinez's winner came in the 92nd minute, a truly brutal way to go out. Burn talked about human nature and the nerves of being so close to a final, something England hasn't done since '66. He noted that Argentina, as holders, had that confidence. England defended their box so well in earlier wins against Mexico and Norway, but they just couldn't replicate it when it mattered most.A Painful Pattern and Future Questions
This isn't just one bad game, it is a pattern of heartbreak for England. They've now lost two of the last three men's World Cup semi-finals and were beaten in the European Championship finals in both 2021 and 2024. Talk about tough to swallow. Captain Harry Kane summed up the mood perfectly: "There's not much to say - everyone is gutted. When you're so close, 10 minutes away, and it slips out of your hands like that, obviously the lads are devastated." Kane felt they did so well for 60 minutes, deserved the lead, but then struggled to keep the ball and pressure, allowing Argentina to build momentum. He called it "the missing piece now for probably the past four or five tournaments." Kane, who is 33 later this month and scored six goals this World Cup alongside Jude Bellingham, isn't sure about 2030. "Four years is a long way away," he said, focusing on processing "another tough loss." Bellingham, who also scored six, praised his teammates' effort but acknowledged the brutal truth: "The more beautiful the journey, the more heartbreaking the end is." Despite the gut-wrenching loss, Burn is still "very proud of what we have done at this World Cup." He truly believed they were going to do it. Now, they've got to somehow pick themselves up for Saturday's third-place play-off against France, live on the BBC. It's not the final, but after a run where "I don't think anyone really gave us a chance," they still have a chance to finish strong.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.