England captain Harry Kane admitted he was “gutted” after the Three Lions suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to defending champions Argentina in the FIFA World Cup semi-final on Wednesday, ending their hopes of reaching a first World Cup final since 1966.
England looked on course for a famous victory after Anthony Gordon gave them the lead, but Lionel Messi inspired Argentina’s comeback with a masterclass. The veteran playmaker set up Enzo Fernandez for the equaliser before delivering a pinpoint cross for Lautaro Martinez, who scored the winning goal deep into stoppage time.
Reflecting on the defeat, Kane praised his teammates’ effort but admitted England struggled to cope with Argentina’s relentless pressure after taking the lead.
“We played a good game for most of it. Once we went 1-0 up, we seemed to try to hold on, and at this level that’s not enough,” Kane said.
The Bayern Munich striker, who finished the tournament with six goals, said Argentina’s constant attacking waves eventually overwhelmed England’s defense.
“After the goal, it felt like wave after wave of attacks. The lads were throwing themselves into blocks, giving everything they had, but in the end it just wasn’t enough.”
Kane revealed that England’s plan after opening the scoring was to push for a second goal rather than sit back, but momentum shifted after Argentina found the equaliser.
“The message was to keep going and try to score again. Once they got ahead, we tried to respond, but we couldn’t regain control of the game.”
Despite another painful exit, England have now reached at least the semi-finals in four of their last five major international tournaments. However, their wait for a major trophy continues, with the nation’s only World Cup triumph still dating back to 1966.
Kane, who turns 33 later this month, declined to speculate on whether he will still be leading England at the 2030 World Cup. Instead, he pointed to Lionel Messi’s remarkable longevity as proof that age does not necessarily define a player’s future.
“I always take it year by year and see how I feel. Playing for England is my greatest pride. Four years is a long time, but when you see Leo still performing at the highest level, you never want to put limits on yourself. Right now, it’s just about processing another tough defeat.”
England will now shift their focus to rebuilding for the next major tournament, while Argentina move on to the World Cup final with hopes of defending their global crown.
