England were beaten 2-1 by Argentina in the World Cup semi-final, with the defending champions scoring twice in the second half to end England's hopes of ending 60 years of World Cup hurtPaige Ingram, Josh Payne Ellie Crabbe and Tom Jeffreys and Press Association23:33, 15 Jul 2026The Prince of Wales admitted he was "gutted" for England following their 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, yet insisted the Three Lions' "fight and belief" throughout the tournament had been a source of inspiration.‌England fans were left heartbroken as their dreams of ending 60 years of World Cup heartache were crushed by the defending champions, who edged out Thomas Tuchel's side despite supporters having been cautiously hopeful of overcoming their old rivals — even with the ever-present threat of captain Lionel Messi looming large.‌William paid tribute to the squad posting on X: "Gutted. England, you gave it everything and we are all so proud of you. Thank you to everyone on and off the pitch, for an incredible tournament. The fight and belief you have shown has inspired us all. The most complete England team in a tournament. Hold your heads high."‌Outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer echoed the future king's sentiments, equally devastated by the result. In a post on X, Sir Keir said: "Gutted. Tonight wasn't the result we all hoped for, but this England team has given it their all. The passion and energy they've shown representing the badge has made us all proud."‌The euphoria that swept through the nation when Anthony Gordon fired England ahead 10 minutes into the second half — following a tense, goalless first 45 minutes — was swiftly extinguished as Enzo Fernandez equalised 85 minutes in. The mood darkened further when Lautaro Martinez put Argentina ahead in the 92nd minute.Argentina's supporters celebrated their triumph exuberantly, with some near the pitch brandishing a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas", translated as the Falkland Islands are Argentinian.Content cannot be displayed without consent‌The banner was passed to the players, who held it aloft as they revelled in their victory. Brawls erupted outside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta following the match on Wednesday, with police spotted leading at least three people away.Ben Harper, 32, from Stoke-on-Trent, told the Press Association outside the stadium: "First half was cagey – it was the most tense half of football I've seen in a long time. Second half we nicked the goal and I thought OK, we've got the momentum."Then, nothing. Negative substitutions, defensive players come on and you're thinking OK, against Mexico with 10 men at the altitude, fair enough. To then think 30 minutes in this stadium against the best team in the tournament for making comebacks, the best strategy is to sit back.‌"Then they scored and it went 1-1, you're thinking to yourself, the momentum is in their favour – what have we got? What are we going to do?". We've reduced our attacking outlets, we haven't got many options – I think that was a tactical disaster honestly."Back home, supporters were equally devastated, with many left open-mouthed or clutching their heads in despair as the final whistle sounded at a fan zone in Millennium Square in Leeds. Harris Malhi, 31, who watched the match at Boxpark in Wembley, north London, told PA: "I feel annoyed, to be honest.Article continues below"I feel a bit disappointed, but I can take a step back, look at the bigger picture and be grateful for the World Cup that we've had. I still think semi-final overall is a good moment. Tuchel stays, he's got the contract to stay, doesn't he?" I think hopefully he'll learn from this, the players will learn from this."Either you can play not to lose or you can play to win, and we probably played not to lose a bit too early, to be honest. I think we went defensive slightly too early. That's frustrating. But, you know, they're world champions. They've got world-class players."Follow our live blog on the World Cup updates by clicking here.