Kane: 'It's heartbreaking' — England sat back after going 1-0 up

England captain Harry Kane of Bayern Munich expressed deep disappointment after his side fell to Argentina in the semifinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America.

England lost 2-1 to Argentina in a semifinal played Thursday morning at Atlanta Stadium in the United States, surrendering a lead late in the match.

It was England who struck first. Anthony Gordon converted a cross from Rogers with a composed finish in the 55th minute to put England ahead.

But England conceded two consecutive goals — from Enzo Fernandez in the 86th minute and Lautaro Martinez in the second minute of stoppage time — and were eliminated.

Speaking to the BBC after the match, Kane said England appeared to sit back after taking the lead. "After going 1-0 up, it felt like we were just trying to protect the lead, and at this level that's not enough," he said. "We've worked so hard to get here and the players gave everything. It's so disappointing to lose like this. Failing to achieve the goal — winning the tournament — is truly heartbreaking."

Manager Thomas Tuchel opted to defend the lead sooner than expected after Gordon's opener, with Kane himself dropping deep into his own half to help shore up the defense.

"After they equalized, their attacks became more intense — the pressure just kept coming," Kane said. "We tried desperately to hold on, but it wasn't enough."

Kane also lamented England's failure to push for a second goal when they had the chance. "When we went ahead, the message was to go and get another one," he said. "After conceding twice, we needed to find a way back, but we couldn't get a foothold in the game."

Kane expressed regret at missing out on a World Cup title but vowed to keep going.

"We've been stopped at the semifinal stage again," he said. "People always say we're so close. We just need to find that last piece of the puzzle in a tournament. These games demand enormous effort, pressure and mental strength. We showed again in this tournament that we can reach that level. We just need that last piece."

Kane, 33, was in outstanding form throughout the tournament and led England's attack, but he again fell short of the ultimate prize. He also suffered a semifinal exit at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Kane will be 37 by the time the 2030 World Cup comes around, making his participation far from certain. The BBC noted that Kane delivered his finest World Cup performance at this tournament, but added that no one knows what he will look like four years from now.