England have lost the World Cup semi-final, and they deserved to. A witless defensive display that aimed to protect their lead only brought misfortune upon themselves.
The scoreline was the same as in the “Hand of God” game between these sides 40 years ago in Mexico City, but this time England could not blame foul play and by the end the game did not even feel close. Argentina, beyond possessing Leo Messi who assisted both their goals, are simply a much better side on the ball. Their team full of reigning world champions now meets favourites Spain in Sunday’s final, aiming to become the first country to retain the title since Brazil in 1962.
In the air-conditioned stadium fans from both countries mixed without apparent incident, but Argentines vastly outnumbered the English and when the national anthems were played their chanting drowned out God Save the King. The English responded by booing the Argentine anthem. That set a tone: this was, four decades after the Falklands War and Diego Maradona’s hand of God, still more than a football match. Twice in the first half, a foul sparked melées between both sets of players.
Both sides committed violence. Argentina aim to foul opponents in midfield, before an attack can develop, with Leandro Paredes and newcomer Giuliano Simeone particular specialists. England came with their retaliation prepared. Their captain Harry Kane spent much of the game lobbying the referee.
But other than the aggression and tension, the first half was almost incident-free. This was the first World Cup game on record since 1966 without a single shot in the first half hour, according to data provider Opta. The best attempt for either side before half-time was Enzo Fernández’s long-range drive just over England’s goal on 38 minutes — a shot that rang with foreboding.
England’s two stars did not deliver. Jude Bellingham, their hero of the previous two games, dribbled too much, perhaps having started to believe his own headlines. Kane repeated his failure of the quarter-final against Norway, creating almost nothing. Neither man showed in the penalty area the few times their teammates got a cross in.
It long seemed that one goal would decide this hard-fought game, and the anticipation ended after 55 minutes when Kane made his only significant contribution. He sought Morgan Rogers with a probing long pass and a rebound fell to Declan Rice, who did find Rogers. The Aston Villa player produced a perfectly weighted cross and Anthony Gordon, who grew into this tournament after being maligned at the start, snuck in ahead of a sleeping Nahuel Molina to score from close range.
The goal turned the game — but in Argentina’s favour. England fell back, dangerously, inside their own penalty area, hoofing every ball straight back to Argentina. This failed ancestral version of English football was supposed to have been eradicated by the learning of the past 30 years, but it seems the atavistic instincts are too deep. The style was personified by their substitute Dan Burn, defensive heading specialist and personification of 1970s football, who was brought in after 81 minutes to win the battle of the skies. England could have avoided the battle by keeping the ball. Instead, from Gordon’s goal until the 92nd minute, Argentina had a mind-boggling 88 per cent possession.
Nobody expects England to pass like Spain, but they have many big names who ought to have been able to hold the ball for periods and defend far from their own penalty area, especially given Argentina’s lack of ball winners after Paredes went off. England’s backs-to-the-wall method had worked 10 days earlier against Mexico in the Azteca. But Argentina are a much better team.
Messi’s men had achieved an even bigger comeback in the same stadium last week, beating Egypt 3-2 after trailing 2-0 after 78 minutes. Today, again they held their nerve when down.
“There was blood in the water and we went for it,” said Argentina’s coach Lionel Scaloni. They stuck to their passing game and when their time of peril came, Messi switched on fully and took control of the match. Playing eight games in five weeks, the 39-year-old has to ration his energies, but after Gordon’s goal he began calling for the ball ceaselessly. He completed nine dribbles in the game, tied for his best in a World Cup match according to Opta, and his pinpoint passes from the right wing would prove decisive.
Argentina are a wonderful side in the air, and Jordan Pickford made stunning saves to keep out headers from Nico González and Alexis Mac Allister. But if you keep giving Argentina the ball around your penalty area, they will punish you.
Pickford tipped a drive from Enzo Fernández over the bar but almost immediately afterwards, on 85 minutes, Messi found the Chelsea man again. This time, Fernández’s rocket flew into the corner of Pickford’s net.
At this point, with Argentina rampant, the winning goal was just a matter of time. It came a minute into injury time. Mac Allister hit the post, but straight afterwards an unmarked Lautaro Martínez headed home from Messi’s right-footed cross.
England’s final offensive was as witless as their defensive effort, all long balls hoisted in the vague direction of Kane’s head. Afterwards, celebrating Argentine players held up a banner that read, “LAS MALVINAS SON ARGENTINAS” — the Malvinas Islands [the Falklands] are Argentine. The dispirited English players will have been past caring.
Their coach Thomas Tuchel had been right to point out his team’s shortcomings after victory over Norway, but England’s tactical inability to achieve possession is his fault too.
“I was happy with the way we played it,” he said bafflingly. “It was a totally even game.” He criticised not his team’s defensive retreat but flaws in executing it. “We could not find any ball possession any more,” he shrugged, suggesting that this was absent from English “DNA”, as if tactical choices and technical inability had not worsened the problem.
Asked about his own responsibility, he said: “As soon as you lose you get criticised. That’s just the way it is.” He added that he was “looking forward to the home Euros” in 2028, suggesting no plans to resign.
England have reached four semi-finals and two finals in their last five major tournaments but they never looked the best team. They were fortunate to get as far this time after narrow wins against DR Congo, Mexico and Norway. Not once did they play their best football. Their ambitions were vast but they will fly home having failed even to achieve heroic defeat. Bellingham was exceptional at times, but otherwise their efforts here will leave little trace.
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