England captain Harry Kane described the team as "gutted" following their World Cup semi-final defeat, a loss that defender Dan Burn stated would "haunt" him.
England has now reached the semi-finals in two of the last three men's World Cups, and was also a finalist in the 2021 and 2024 European Championships. The team held a lead for 60 minutes of the semi-final match before conceding momentum to their opponents.
"When you're so close, 10 minutes away, and it slips out of your hands like that, obviously the lads are devastated," Kane said. "We did so well for 60 minutes. We scored and deserved to be ahead then we struggled to keep the ball, struggled to put pressure on the ball and it allowed them to create more momentum and chances in the final third."
Kane, who has scored six goals in the current World Cup, indicated that the team needs to identify how to improve in these critical moments. "We're going to have to find out how we can improve in those situations. It's been probably the missing piece now for probably the past four or five tournaments," he added.
When asked about his potential participation in the 2030 World Cup, Kane, who turns 33 later this month, stated he prefers to take it "year by year." He emphasized his pride and joy in playing for the national team, drawing a parallel to Lionel Messi still performing at a high level at 39.
Jude Bellingham, who also scored six goals for England in the tournament, echoed the sentiment of pride in his teammates' effort. "The lads did everything they could over the course of the tournament - I can't fault the effort and the fight," Bellingham said. "That's the life of a footballer at this level. The more beautiful the journey, the more heartbreaking the end is. I'm really proud of all my team-mates - they put in a magnificent shift over the last few weeks." He expressed his disappointment at not being part of a squad that could secure a major title. "I wanted to be part of an England squad that finally did it and finally got it over the line. To be here telling the fans the same things they have heard for years and years, it's really gutting."