Heartbroken captain Harry Kane vowed to fight on as England continue to search for the “final piece of the jigsaw” that can take them from nearly men to trophy-winners.
Having come so close under Sir Gareth Southgate, successor Thomas Tuchel had the back-to-back European Championship finalists on the cusp of a place in Sunday’s MetLife Stadium showpiece against Spain.
But Anthony Gordon’s second-half strike was wiped out five minutes from time by Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández as the England manager’s defence-minded approach and substitutions backfired spectacularly.
Lautaro Martínez completed a 2-1 victory in stoppage time, meaning the wait to add to England’s World Cup in 1966 rumbles on as Tuchel faces questions over his suitability for the role.
England captain Kane posted on X: “No words are big enough right now to overcome this empty feeling in the stomach.
“We were close, really close to another final but it wasn’t enough. We’ve given everything over these last seven weeks and to fall short is hard to take!
“I know the expectations are high and rightly so, we’ve been knocking on the door for eight years now but again are missing that final piece of the jigsaw! That’s where we have to go away, process it and find a way to get better.
“I’m so proud of the boys and what we have shown throughout this tournament — some tough games and tough environments that we have overcome.
“Some memories that will stay with us players and I’m sure you fans for a long, long time!
“Going for glory doesn’t always mean you will get it. You have to fight for it, get knocked down, pick yourself up and go again and that’s what we will do, there’s no other way but to keep believing and keeping pushing.
“Thank you to every single fan that travelled and showed their support in the stadiums.
“Thank you to every fan back home for believing in us. Thank you to the boys and staff for everything you have given. As always Win or lose, we learn and go again!”
This was Kane’s sixth major tournament with England and the nation’s all-time top scorer still has one more match to contend with in the shape of Saturday’s World Cup third-place play-off against France.
The Bayern Munich sharpshooter hinted that it will not be his last match on the global stage, even if the 2018 Golden Boot winner will be 36 when the next edition rolls around.
“It’s too early to talk about that,” Kane, who turns 33 at the end of July, said. “I mean, as a person, it’s always just about taking it year by year and how I feel.
– World Cup kit ranking: Which teams will look best in 2026?
– Messi tells Argentina critics: ‘Nothing was handed to us’
– Tuchel: DNA of English football needs changing after World Cup semifinal collapse
“The national team is my pride and joy. It’s what I love to do most, more than anything.
“Obviously, four years is a long way away. I’m 33 in the summer, but as you saw on the other end with (Lionel) Messi there, he’s still performing at the highest level.
“So, I never want to put a limit on these things. I’ll address every situation as they come, but for now it’s just about processing another tough loss with this team.”
