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The chant was loud. It was obnoxious. It echoed through bars in Atlanta and got screamed across pub tables in Manhattan.
"There'll be no f*ing Messi in New York!"
England fans really believed it. They thought the script was written. A historic World Cup run, a final waiting at MetLife Stadium just across the Hudson River, and a chance to finally end sixty years of misery.
Then reality hit. Hard.
Instead of booking bus tickets to New Jersey, England supporters across New York City are staring blankly into empty pint glasses. The 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final hurts. It hurts because of how close it was. It hurts because England had the lead. But mostly, it hurts because of the sheer, predictable nature of how it all fell apart.
The Hubris Before the Fall
New York has always been a second home for traveling English fans and expats. Pubs like The Football Factory at Legends, the Black Horse in Brooklyn, and Jones Wood Foundry on the Upper East Side were packed to the rafters. Fans packed inside, sweating in the mid-July heat, singing about Jude Bellingham and dreaming of a final match against Spain.
You could feel the confidence. When Anthony Gordon slotted home a brilliant goal in the 55th minute to put England up 1-0, the Manhattan pavement practically shook. Beer flew through the air. Strangers hugged. Fans started looking up ticket prices for East Rutherford.
They thought they had conquered the old enemy. They thought Lionel Messi’s final World Cup act would be a quiet exit in Atlanta.
They were dead wrong.
What followed was a masterclass in how to throw away a golden opportunity. It wasn't Messi who tore England apart with individual magic, but rather England's own bench that decided to surrender.
How Thomas Tuchel Defended England to Death
Let's look at the actual football. You can blame bad luck, but this loss was entirely self-inflicted.
When Anthony Gordon scored, England was playing with speed, energy, and directness. They had Argentina on the back foot. Argentina's defense looked panicked.
Instead of going for the throat, England manager Thomas Tuchel panicked.
In the 72nd minute, Tuchel made a move that will likely define his entire England tenure. He dragged Gordon off. He brought on defender Ezri Konsa. He shifted the team into an ultra-defensive, passive 5-3-2 formation. Ten minutes later, he threw on two more defenders, Dan Burn and Nico O'Reilly.
The message to the players was clear: stop playing soccer and just hold on.
It was a disaster. If you drop ten men deep against a side that has Messi, Enzo Fernandez, and Lautaro Martinez, you are begging to get punished. You cannot survive wave after wave of attacks without possessing the ball.
And Argentina did not need a second invitation.
Enzo Fernandez found space in the 85th minute and unleashed a strike that silenced the English faithful. Just five minutes later, with England's defense completely exhausted and disorganized from chasing shadows, Lautaro Martinez rose above the pack to head home the winner.
Two late goals. Just like that, the dream was dead.
A Rivalry That Refuses to Fade
This wasn't just another football match. The rivalry between England and Argentina runs deep. It's fueled by decades of historical tension, from the Falkland Islands conflict to Diego Maradona’s "Hand of God" in 1986.
Leading up to the kickoff, politicians on both sides were stoking the flames. Argentina’s Vice President Victoria Villarruel openly called the English "usurping pirates". On the pitch, the game was physical, bordering on brutal. Yellow cards flew. Players had to be separated.
But in New York's bars, the tension was different. It was a nervous, agonizing wait.
Local fans had to endure the sight of Argentine supporters taking over the streets. In Midtown Manhattan, blue and white shirts celebrated while the English shuffled out of the bars into the humid night air.
The familiar feeling of disappointment has settled back in. England has fallen short again. Just like the Euros in 2020 and 2024. Just like the World Cup semifinal in 2018.
What Happens Next
There are no easy consolations here. The England squad has to pick themselves up for a third-place playoff against France on Saturday in Miami. It is a match nobody actually wants to play.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi and Argentina are heading straight to New York. They will face Spain on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
For the England fans who spent weeks singing on the streets of Manhattan, the next few days will be rough.
If you are one of those grieving fans in NYC, here is your reality check:
- Accept the tactical failure: Stop blaming the referee. Tuchel's decision to park the bus in the 72nd minute cost England the final.
- Mute your group chats: The Argentine fans are going to enjoy this victory for a very long time. Avoid the banter for your own mental health.
- Support the third-place match: It feels useless, but Harry Kane still has a shot at the Golden Boot. He is currently sitting on six goals, just two behind Messi and Mbappe. Let's at least hope he walks away with some silverware.
The wait for football to "come home" continues. It’s sixty years of pain, and the clock is still ticking.
