England make unwanted World Cup history after another semi-final collapse
The Three Lions exited the 2026 World Cup following defeat to Argentina in semi-finals
Dubai: England's 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final will be remembered not only for the heartbreak of missing out on a place in the final, but also for an unwanted piece of history.
After collapsing against Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday, the Three Lions became the first team in the 21st century to lose two World Cup semi-finals after taking the lead.
The first came in Russia in 2018, when Gareth Southgate's young side exceeded almost every expectation.
Following years of tournament disappointment, England arrived with one of the least experienced squads in the competition and few believed they would mount a serious challenge for the trophy. Yet they captured the imagination of a nation by reaching their first World Cup semi-final since 1990.
The dream start arrived after just five minutes against Croatia when Kieran Trippier curled a magnificent free-kick beyond Danijel Subasic, sending England supporters into bedlam and putting one foot in the World Cup final.
Rather than building on their advantage, however, England gradually retreated, allowing Croatia to dictate possession and territory. Ivan Perisic levelled in the second half before Mario Mandzukic struck in extra time to seal a 2-1 victory, ending England's fairytale run.
Eight years later, history repeated itself in painful fashion. This time, England entered the tournament as genuine contenders. The core of the squad had gained invaluable experience from deep runs at major tournaments, and many believed they had finally developed the maturity needed to clear the final hurdle.
When they took the lead against defending champions Argentina in the second half, the lessons of 2018 appeared to not have been learned.
England once again invited pressure rather than searching for the goal that could have killed the contest. Argentina responded with the composure of champions, equalising before finding a late winner to complete another 2-1 comeback and book their place in the final.
Unlike the defeat to Croatia, this loss carries a far greater sense of frustration.
In 2018, England's young squad had surpassed expectations and gained priceless experience. In 2026, there can be no such consolation, this was a team built to win the biggest prizes, yet when the pressure mounted, they reverted to the same cautious approach that had cost them eight years earlier.
Rather than learning from the past, England once again paid the ultimate price for trying to protect a lead instead of chasing another goal.
