Atlanta: England captain Harry Kane cut a disconsolate figure following his side's dramatic 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final. Speaking to broadcasters after the match, the striker admitted the squad was "gutted" to see their tournament journey end at the penultimate hurdle.

"We played a good game for the majority of it," Kane reflected. "When we went 1-0 up, we seemed to just try to hold on, which at this level is not enough."

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England had appeared to be on the verge of their first World Cup final since 1966 after Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute opener. However, Thomas Tuchel’s side were undone by a late Argentine surge, with Enzo Fernández equalising in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martínez scoring the winner in stoppage time.

"To fall short like we did is just gutting," Kane added, acknowledging the immense effort his teammates had invested. "We worked so hard to be here. The lads have given every bit of blood, sweat and tears."

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Addressing the broader context of England's recent tournament history, Kane remained optimistic about the group's trajectory despite the heartbreak. "We had a lot of good moments in this tournament. A lot of good games, another semi-final," the captain stated. "We talk about knocking on the door. We’re close, we just need to find that missing piece in the final stage of the tournament."

England’s semi-final exit marks the end of a campaign that saw the team battle through significant pressure, including a tense quarter-final victory over Norway. While the focus now turns to their third-place play-off, Argentina, meanwhile, now progress to Monday's final (IST), where they will face Spain in a bid to defend their world crown.