England's men led a World Cup semi-final for the second time in eight years, but fell 2-1 to Argentina in 2026 after Anthony Gordon's 55th-minute opener was cancelled by late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez in Atlanta. The defeat denied England a first final since 1966.

Substitute Dan Burn summed up the squad's mood: "Absolutely gutted... This will haunt me for a long time." Captain Harry Kane, who scored six goals at the tournament, said the team was "devastated" after being "10 minutes away" from the final. England had previously beaten Mexico and Norway in knockout rounds but couldn't maintain their defensive resilience against the holders.

Coach Thomas Tuchel admitted his side "weren't physical enough" and lost momentum after scoring, but retains FA backing ahead of Euro 2028. England now face France in the third-place play-off, having lost semi-finals in two of the last three World Cups and the past two European Championship finals.