England came agonisingly close to reaching their first World Cup final since 1966 — but Argentina had other ideas.
Thomas Tuchel's side were eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the semi-final stage, edged out by a resilient Argentina in one of the tensest knockout matches of the entire tournament. The defeat ends a campaign that genuinely stirred English football — and leaves another generation wondering what might have been.
Whatever the pain of the exit, England's 2026 World Cup run was one to be proud of. They navigated the group stage with composure, built momentum through the knockouts, and made the final four on foreign soil against world-class opposition.
At the centre of their campaign was Elliot Anderson, the 23-year-old who has since signed for Manchester City for a club-record £116 million from Nottingham Forest. Tuchel described him as "the full package" — and Anderson consistently delivered. He led the Premier League in touches, duels won and possession regained before the tournament, then reproduced that relentless intensity on the grandest stage of all.
Jordan Henderson, 36, also contributed meaningfully. The kind of experienced leadership Tuchel specifically built around. His performances earned Chelsea's interest immediately after the tournament — which tells its own story. John Stones, 32, was another key figure, despite a fitness history that always attracted scrutiny even when he performed when it mattered.
Argentina arrived at the semi-final as exactly the kind of opponent that tests everything a side has built. Lionel Messi, a squad heavy with big-match experience, and a team that knows precisely how to win close knockout games. They were, in the end, just good enough — edging England and booking their place in the final against Spain, where they would fall 1-0 after extra time.
Reaching the semi-finals of a World Cup on foreign soil, against elite competition, is not failure. The foundations under Tuchel are real. With Anderson leading a talented young generation, the next major tournament brings genuine cause for belief.
It still stings. It always does. But this England squad gave everything — and they are not that far away.
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