Bellingham and Kane Express Devastation After England’s World Cup Semifinal Defeat to Argentina

England was taken aback as Argentina staged yet another remarkable comeback, securing a 2‑1 win in the 2026 World Cup semifinals and preserving their title defence.

England held the lead for 78 minutes, appearing destined for a Sunday final clash with Spain, before Lionel Messi and his teammates turned the tide. The realization of a prolonged 60‑year wait for a major trophy hit the squad hard, leaving them to grapple with the disappointment.

Here’s a look at how the devastated England players responded.

Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane embrace following England’s semifinal loss to Argentina. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP via Getty Images)

The England players exchanged a solemn glance with their supporters. This time, the usual renditions of Oasis’ “Wonderwall” and the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” were absent.

Bellingham remained on the pitch a beat longer than his teammates, and the 23‑year‑old midfielder seemed to swear off ever experiencing such anguish again.

(Photo by Tom Weller/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Bellingham shone throughout the 2026 World Cup, netting six goals and providing one assist. He scored braces in England’s quarter‑final victory over Norway and the round‑of‑16 win against Mexico, earning praise from observers such as Argentina’s head coach Lionel Scaloni.

Bellingham wore his heart on his sleeve — tears flowed, he embraced Scaloni, and he clashed with Argentine opponents. He endured a barrage of tough tackles in one of the tournament’s most physical encounters, something he clearly did not enjoy.

(Photo by Tom Weller/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Kane stared in disbelief after the defeat, offering a tentative applause to the fans. While he matched Bellingham’s six‑goal tally as England’s top scorer, he went scoreless in the team’s final two games. Nevertheless, his play helped initiate the move that produced Anthony Gordon’s goal in Wednesday’s semifinal.

“Gutted for the boys. Gutted for everyone: the staff, the fans,” Kane said.

“We played a good game for the large majority of it. When we went 1-0 up we just tried to hold on, which at this level, is not enough. Just gutted because we’ve worked so hard to be here and the lads have given every last bit of running, sweat, blood, tears, whatever it is. So for that to fall short, is just gutting.”

England manager Thomas Tuchel introduced three defensive substitutes and shifted to a deeper shape after Anthony Gordon’s opener. The change invited wave after wave of Argentine attacks, leaving England on the back foot and ultimately conceding two decisive goals.

“We’re disappointed,” Tuchel said. “So close, but we got too passive after we scored. Conceded a lot of chances, and could not turn the possession around. Conceded so many crosses and chances and shots. We were close, but couldn’t keep the level up after we scored.”

England vs Argentina Extended Highlights 2026 FIFA World Cup | Semifinals

Source link