England won 2-1 with two late goals from Argentina, ending their World Cup hopes in heartbreaking fashion.
It is the fifth time the Three Lions have been eliminated in the semi-finals of a major competition as Lionel Messi inspired the world champions to stage a late comeback and book a place in Sunday’s final against Spain.
Anthony Gordon put Thomas Tuchel’s side in front 10 minutes into the second half, turning home Morgan Rodgers’ superb cross.
But Lionel Scaloni’s side showed no signs of giving up throughout the tournament, with England on the brink of reaching their first World Cup final since 1966 when Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandes curled home a long-range shot with five minutes remaining.
As the game entered stoppage time, England had six defenders on the pitch and Tuchel was on defense from the start, but Messi’s cross was slotted in by Lautaro Martinez, breaking England’s hearts.
Here are the Atlanta player ratings…
England player ratings
jordan pickford 7
He was a good long-range kicker, had good control of the penalty box, was solid, and made an outstanding low save to deny Gonzalez.
Reece James 5
He was selected as a surprise right-back, but was unable to convert a cross opportunity and was sent off with an injury.
john stones 7
I was rewarded with a well-deserved start, and was able to get a new, reliable shift. Defender Rolls Royce.
Marc Gehi 7
His composure and quality of the ball really stabilizes the defense. Never panic.
Jed Spence 8
What a warrior! He hailed his sensational challenge on Simeone as if it were a goal.
Jed Spence reacts after stoppage against Giuliano Simeone
Declan Rice 5
He recovered from his illness and returned. His passing was off-kilter at times, but although he contributed to goals, he never fully dominated the midfield.
Elliot Anderson 7
He jumped into the tackle and was combative and strong. Another great display. He was booked for a foul on Messi.
morgan rogers 7
He scored on the right and justified it with a great cross to Gordon. What an assist.
jude bellingham 7
A magical turn that leaves Giuliano Simeone on the backside. The World Cup hero did a great job.
anthony gordon 7
A well-timed goal gave England the lead. He worked hard, ran hard and pressed hard, but was surprisingly substituted early as Tuchel made a tactical change.
harry kane 5
He surpassed Wayne Rooney’s outfield cap record. The game rather passed him by.
Harry Kane after England’s defeat to Argentina (Image: Getty Images)
Substitutes used: Konsa (Gordon 71′), Byrne (James 82′), O’Reilly (Rice 82′), Rashford (Spence 90′), Toney (Stones 90′).
Unused subs: Chalobah, Eze, D. Henderson, J. Henderson, Maduke, Mainu, Saka, Trafford, Watkins.
Argentina: Martinez 7; Molina 5 (Montiel 71 minutes), Martinez 7 (Otamendi 71 minutes), Romero 6, Tagliafico 6 (La Martinez 81 minutes). Fernandes 8, Mac Allister 7, Paredes 6 (González, 63 minutes), Simeone 6 (De Paul 71 minutes), Alvarez 6, Messi 8.
Man of the Match: Jed Spence: Recognized as a great and heroic fighter.
Thomas Tuchel Rating: 2 – Despite being right to start, his substitution backfired badly and contributed to England’s defeat.
Let us know what you think:
Sign up now for the Make Football Great Again newsletter and get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox!
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Upgrade your World Cup TV setup with Sky Glass ‘designed for soccer’
From £6
sky
Get the deal here
Shoppers can now upgrade to a Sky smart TV ‘designed for football’ from £6 a month when used with a Sky TV and Netflix package.
