Six reasons England's World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina isn't the end
That late collapse against Argentina still feels like a punch to the ribs, but there are several reasons why we as a country should smile.
It hurts. There's no dressing it up. Losing to Argentina in a World Cup semi-final, especially after leading, is about as painful as it gets. England were 1-0 up before conceding twice late on, and missing out on the final. But I’m here to pull you out of your pit of depression and remind you of a few reasons to smile today.
England are genuinely one of the best teams in the world again. Semi-finals aren't the standard for most nations - they're the dream. England have now consistently been reaching the latter stages of major tournaments over the past decade - oh, and we still have the Falklands.
Another reason is that the future is bright! This squad still has players entering or in their prime. Bellingham, Gordon, Saka, Mainoo, Guehi and others should all be around for years to come. This doesn't feel like the end of a cycle, it’s just getting started. Plus we had a plethora of talented players not even in the squad like Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander Arnold. We will come back bigger and better next time at the Euros!
Don’t forget this was Thomas Tuchel's first tournament. Whether you agreed with his late tactical changes or not, he has had limited time with the squad. International football is often about continuity and he’s just getting started.
There's also still a medal to play for. It isn't the prize anyone wanted, but beating France to finish third would end the tournament on a positive note.
Another huge positive is that England felt united! We all got to care again together as one nation. Football's magic is that it can ruin your Wednesday night and somehow make your Saturday afternoon matter even more. If it didn't sting, the victories wouldn't feel so sweet, but at a time when this island has felt divided, England brought us back together.
And finally… we didn’t have to watch England lose on penalties for once. We broke the generational curse and we managed to find a different way out this year.
The sun still came up. Your coffee still tastes good, and you've got another episode of the Daily Expresso to listen to. I promise you, 2030 is definitely our year, but before that, let’s go an win the Euros! COME ON ENGLAND!
