^ ^ Gary Neville makes Harry Kane World Cup prediction after Argentina semi-final defeat

Former England defender Gary Neville (Picture: ITV)

Gary Neville believes Harry Kane and two other England players have ‘probably’ played in their last World Cup this summer.

The Three Lions were bidding to reach the World Cup final for the first time in 60 years, but came up short after a heartbreaking late defeat to Argentina in the semi-finals.

Anthony Gordon had England on the cusp of victory, but late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez saw the defending champions progress to Sunday’s final where they will take on Spain.

England will bring their tournament to a close on Saturday in Miami when they take on France, who were convincingly beaten by Spain in the other semi-final.

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And for some players in Thomas Tuchel’s squad, the third-place playoff could be the last time they feature for England at a World Cup.

Seven players in the 26-man squad are aged 30 and above, including Kane, Jordan Pickford and John Stones, who are all 32 and have been the foundation of this England side for several major tournaments.

And former England full-back Neville is not sure whether England fans will see any of those three in the Three Lions’ squad for the next World Cup in 2030.

Harry Kane will be 36 when the next World Cup comes around (Picture: Getty)

Discussing England’s collapse against Argentina on Stick to Football with Sky Bet, Neville said: ‘The only thing I would say is, I mean, it’s half an hour’s football, but I remember the penalties in 2006; that was my last half an hour ever in a World Cup.

‘So for Harry Kane, for Jordan Pickford, for Stones, that is your last half an hour probably ever in a World Cup.

‘It is a half an hour, but it’s a half an hour that doesn’t come back very often. It might never come back for the lads. It’s a big half an hour, isn’t it?

‘You think about those moments we had where we were on the edge of getting to semis and finals, and we just couldn’t get over the line, could we?’

Neville believes Kane, Pickford and Stones could have played their last World Cups (Picture: Getty)

Kane, who will turn 33 later this month, is now England’s second most capped player of all time, while he also surpassed Gary Lineker this tournament to become England’s record goalscorer at World Cups.

But speaking after England’s semi-final defeat to Argentina, Kane hinted his desire to play in another World Cup in four years’ time.

‘It’s too early to talk about that. I mean, as a person, it’s always just about taking it year by year and how I feel,’ Kane explained.

‘The national team is my pride and joy. It’s what I love to do most, more than anything.

Thomas Tuchel’s tactics have come in for criticism (Picture: Getty)

‘Obviously, four years is a long way away. I’m 33 in the summer, but as you saw on the other end with Messi there, he’s still performing at the highest level.

‘So, I never want to put a limit on these things. I’ll address every situation as they come, but for now it’s just about processing another tough loss with this team.’

Elsewhere, Neville took aim at Tuchel’s post-match comments in which the German tactician suggested that it was ‘England’s DNA’ rather than his tactics that were the problem in their semi-final defeat.

‘I have a big problem with that,’ Neville said. ‘He didn’t bring Mainoo on, who could handle the ball better than most.

‘He didn’t bring, say, for instance, Saka on who could probably handle the ball better than most. But he also left Foden, Palmer, Wharton, Gibbs-White, and Trent Alexander-Arnold at home, who were technical players.

‘That, to me, wasn’t a quote that sat well with me because I said before the tournament, we all did, he’s left out what would be generational talents like Trent, and Foden, and Palmer, players who’ve got massive talent.’

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^ ^ Enzo Fernandez mocks England over World Cup defeat to Argentina then deletes Instagram post

Enzo Fernandez scored Argentina’s equaliser in their 2-1 win over England (AFP via Getty)

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez has mocked England following their World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina.

Fernandez scored Argentina’s equaliser in their 2-1 victory over England, which secured a place in the World Cup final against Spain this Sunday.

In an ill-tempered game in Atlanta, tensions boiled over after the full-time whistle as Jude Bellingham slapped Argentina’s substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head.

Argentina’s players also celebrated with a banner which read, ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’, which translates as, ‘The Falklands are Argentine’, and could now face punishment from FIFA.

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Fernandez, meanwhile, has taken aim at England on social media by reposting an image of himself laughing alongside Lionel Messi with Oasis’ ‘Wonderwall’ playing in the background.

The song has been adopted by England as their unofficial anthem during the World Cup and has become a shared post-match ritual between players and supporters after matches.

La foto que compartió Enzo Fernández en sus historias de Instagram con "Wonderwall" de Oasis tras el triunfo de Argentina ante Inglaterra pic.twitter.com/D4vmADkEAf

— El Destape (@eldestapeweb) July 16, 2026

After receiving backlash from supporters, Fernandez opted to remove the repost and instead shared the same image without Wonderwall playing in the background.

Chelsea also sparked anger from England supporters on social media after they shared a photo of Fernandez’s celebration during Argentina’s semi-final win with the caption: ‘Enzo Fernandez’ and an explosion emoji.

Chelsea deleted their Enzo Fernandez post after England’s defeat to Argentina (Instagram)

Fernandez is pushing to leave Chelsea this summer after the club finished 10th in the Premier League last season.

‘Today the player is calmly thinking about the national team, he is playing in a World Cup, he is very close to reaching the round of 16,’ Fernandez’s agent, Javier Pastore, said earlier this month.

‘He is only thinking about that and we are looking at possibilities to leave Chelsea but there is nothing firm or confirmed at any club.’

However, new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso insisted this week that he wants to keep Fernandez at Stamford Bridge.

‘We have spoken,’ Alonso said. ‘But, as you can understand, what we said will remain private.’

Earlier this month, Real Madrid issued a statement denying their interest in signing Fernandez from Chelsea this summer.

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^ ^ Three England players ‘complained privately’ about Thomas Tuchel decision in World Cup defeat

Thomas Tuchel’s defensive changes were blamed for England’s World Cup defeat to Argentina (Getty)

Three senior England players have privately complained about Thomas Tuchel’s tactics during their 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final, according to reports.

England took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon but a second-half collapse saw Enzo Fernandez equalise for Argentina before Lautaro Martinez scored the winner in the second minute of injury time.

Tuchel has faced strong criticism in the wake of England’s defeat as he made three defensive substitutions and switched to a back five in order to protect his side’s lead.

Former England captain Wayne Rooney accused Tuchel of costing the team a place in the World Cup final against Spain and claimed the German’s changes made the players ‘lose belief’.

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Tuchel, however, defended his decisions after England’s collapse and claimed that an attacking substitution would not have caused Argentina problems.

According to the BBC, at least three senior England players have ‘complained privately’ about the team’s approach during the second half and believe Tuchel’s changes ‘exacerbated their defensive retreat’.

Some of England players believes Thomas Tuchel’s changes ‘exacerbated’ their defensive mindset (Getty)

The report adds that ‘certain players believe the team should have had greater licence to press the ball’ in order for England to stop Argentina’s wave of attacks.

Elsewhere, The Independent reports that Argentina were ‘stunned’ by Tuchel’s decision to not bring on either Bukayo Saka or Noni Madueke in the second half in order to give England more attacking threat.

After seeing England’s defensive changes in the second half, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni opted to throw more caution to the wind by bringing on match-winner Martinez for left-back Nicolas Tagliafico.

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Meanwhile, Tuchel admits that England’s ‘big problem’ is their inability to keep the ball and claims ‘no structure in the world’ would have stopped the second-half collapse against Argentina.

‘I think ball possession plays a crucial role,’ Tuchel said.

‘It’s maybe not in our DNA like it is in the Spanish, Argentinian or Brazilian DNA. To take the ball and control the game and the ball, which is also a big problem.

Thomas Tuchel claims ball possession is not in England’s ‘DNA’ (Getty)

‘But like in every structure, it was important to stay active and push out and fight duels… we just couldn’t.

‘I think in this moment my feeling is that no structure in the world could have helped us because we were too passive. We were not physical enough. We didn’t stop runs arriving in our box and the deliveries were then too good.

‘Right after our goal, the momentum swings completely in ball possession and chances and it drops dramatically. We got too passive within our structure. I tried to help, not to become more passive with a back five, but to be more active, to be quicker out to the wingers, not to open up the gaps between the back four.

‘We encouraged everyone to step out, to be more active within the structure, but we just struggled. We needed to get back on the ball otherwise you cannot break the pressure and you cannot get the momentum back.’

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^ ^ Argentina mock England and stage ‘minute’s silence’ in dressing room after World Cup triumph

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Argentina’s squad couldn’t resist poking fun at England following the side’s World Cup semi-final victory over the Three Lions, even staging a ‘minute’s silence’ for Thomas Tuchel’s men in the dressing room.

England had looked on course to reach only a second World Cup final in the nation’s history after Anthony Gordon directed home Morgan Rogers’ cross to open the scoring in the 55th minute.

But England dropped progressively deeper as Argentina pushed for an equaliser, while sending on Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn and Nico O’Reilly in an attempt to shut out the defending champions.

Tuchel’s cautious and defensive tactics were duly punished, though, as Enzo Fernandez hammered in an 85th-minute strike, before Lautaro Martinez headed Lionel Messi’s pinpoint cross beyond Jordan Pickford to give the holders the lead at the death.

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Lionel Scaloni’s side held firm for the remaining minutes to come away from Atlanta with a famous 2-1 win, setting up a mouthwatering showdown with Spain in Sunday’s final.

England, meanwhile, will face off against France – runners-up in Qatar four years ago – in the third-place playoff on Saturday.

There were feverous celebrations amongst Argentina’s squad as they soaked up the moment with their adoring supporters, who remained inside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium for some time after the final whistle.

Martinez came on a scored the winner for the defending champions (Picture: Getty)

Veteran Argentina defender Otamendi led the ‘minute’s silence’ for England

At one point in the proceedings, Argentina’s jubilant players were pictured holding aloft a banner emblazoned with the words, ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’, translating as, ‘The Falklands are Argentine’ – an act which could face punishment from FIFA.

Later on in the dressing room, former Manchester City defender Nicolas Otamendi was filmed leading a ‘minute’s silence’ for Argentina’s old rivals, whose painful wait for a major trophy goes on – 60 years on from the side’s triumph in 1966.

‘A minute of silence for England, who is dead,’ the Scaloneta can be heard singing in a 25-second clip which has spread like wildfire across social media.

The video in question then shows the squad breaking into celebration, while chanting: ‘Argentina, a special dedication to England!’

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Wednesday’s encounter was a bad-tempered affair throughout and the ill feeling between the two teams continued beyond the 90 minutes as Jude Bellingham was seen slapping Argentine midfielder Valentin Barco in a melee.

During the contest itself, Tottenham centre-back Cristian Romero took the opportunity to torment Pickford, screaming directly in the goalkeeper’s face, after Fernandez had levelled for Argentina.

‘There was blood in the water, and we went for it. That’s the feeling that I was getting,’ Argentina head coach Scaloni told reporters shortly after the final whistle.

Messi and Co do battle with Spain in this year’s final (Picture: Getty)

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‘You just have to keep going. We hit the crossbar. We hit the post, and it just couldn’t go in.

‘There’s six or seven chances, but I’m very pleased about that, because the team fought to the very end, and I think this is critical.’

Asked how he would describe the performance, Scaloni offered: ‘Epic squared?

‘This group is difficult to explain. It is a show of the collectiveness, the brotherhood that we are in.

‘We fight to the very end with all that we have.’

Tuchel has come under fire for the ultra-defensive approach England adopted after taking the lead, but the German insisted he had ‘no regrets’ about his tactical switch in the aftermath.

Though there are widespread calls for Tuchel to lose his job following the side’s crushing defeat, the Football Association are reportedly planning to keep faith with the former Chelsea, PSG and Bayern Munich manager.

Tuchel put pen to paper on a two-year extension with the Three Lions in February, with his contract running through to Euro 2028.

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