England's years of hurt stretch beyond 60 years after a late World Cup semi-final collapse against Argentina at Atlanta Stadium. Five minutes from ending the wait since 1966, Anthony Gordon's 55th-minute goal had England dreaming of a final in New Jersey. But Thomas Tuchel's catastrophic decision-making invited wave after wave of Lionel Messi-orchestrated attacks. Enzo Fernandez equalized in the 85th minute, then Lautaro Martinez's injury-time header sealed a stunning defeat.

Tuchel, hired to win matches Gareth Southgate could not, instead replicated the caution he was meant to cure. After Gordon's goal, Tuchel switched to a back five, replacing the scorer with defender Ezri Konsa and ceding possession — England managed just 12% between the lead and the winner. Selections like Ivan Toney's late cameo and the exclusion of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer, and Phil Foden face scrutiny.

This felt like the worst defeat in decades — not just for the Argentina rivalry, but because a beatable opponent refused to lose. England stood at the barrier that has held for six decades, only to stumble again. The "what ifs" will linger longer than any previous near-miss.