England knocked out by Argentina in World Cup semifinal

England were eliminated from the World Cup after a 2‑1 defeat to Argentina in the semifinal. Opta data showed that between Anthony Gordon's goal and Argentina's comeback, England held the ball for only 12% of the time while Argentina dominated with 88% possession. Coach Thomas Tuchel responded to criticism by accepting responsibility, saying, “I am responsible, I accept that responsibility and the criticism. It is part of football.” Harry Kane added that the team became overly defensive after taking the lead, noting that “after we went 1‑0 up, it felt like we were just trying to defend the result, which is not enough at this level.” The loss ends England’s tournament run.

The match highlighted England’s tactical shift to a five‑defender formation after substituting forward Anthony Gordon for defender Ezri Konsa, a move that further reduced attacking pressure.