England captain Harry Kane was left crestfallen after the Three Lions’ World Cup semi-final hopes were shattered by a stunning late comeback from defending champions Argentina. The 2-1 defeat in Atlanta saw England on the brink of a first final since 1966, only for two goals in the closing minutes to flip the script.
Late collapse stuns England
Anthony Gordon had given England the lead in the 55th minute, converting from Morgan Rogers’ cross, and Thomas Tuchel’s side looked in control until the 84th minute. Then Lionel Messi took over. The Argentina maestro set up Enzo Fernández for a thunderous equaliser in the 85th minute, before delivering the cross that Lautaro Martínez headed home in the 92nd minute to seal a dramatic win.
Kane: ‘Everyone’s gutted’
Speaking after the match, Kane struggled to hide his emotions. “I think there’s not much to say. For now, everyone has to process what’s just happened,” he told media.
“Everyone’s gutted. I’m gutted for all the boys, all the staff, everyone behind the scenes, because we know how much everyone puts into being a successful national team. When you’re so close, when you’re 10-plus minutes away and it slips out of your hands like that, obviously, the lads are devastated.”
The pain was compounded by the manner of the defeat, with Tuchel’s decision to sit back after taking the lead drawing criticism. England had managed the game well but invited pressure in the final stages, and Messi’s brilliance proved decisive.
What next for England?
Defender Dan Burn summed up the mood: “Gutted. Absolutely gutted. We nailed the gameplan pretty well.” The result means England must now regroup for the third-place play-off against France, while Argentina advance to face Spain in Sunday’s final. Despite the anguish, the Football Association has backed Tuchel, who is set to lead the team into Euro 2028 on home soil.
For Kane, the wait for a major international trophy goes on. The 32-year-old has now experienced four consecutive tournament exits at the semi-final or final stage—a streak that will haunt England’s record goalscorer.
