The 23-year-old could not hide his emotions as he was comforted by his parents. England’s Morgan Rogers, a close friend from childhood, also offered his support in the stands.
Their disconsolate faces spoke for a heartbroken nation, and fewer looked more crestfallen than Jude Bellingham, who wept on his father’s shoulder following England’s defeat to Argentina.
The 23-year-old star could not hide his emotions as dad Mark hugged him. His teammate and close friend Morgan Rogers – who calls him ‘my little big bro’ – offered his support in the stands.
Jude’s mum, Denise, and girlfriend Ashlyn Castro, 28, also comforted the star in Atlanta as the Three Lions came agonisingly close to glory. Real Madrid ace Jude, the tournament’s top-scoring midfielder with six goals, sank into utter dejection after the final whistle.
He was also involved in an angry confrontation with Argentina substitute Valentin Barco at full time. It was sparked after Barco celebrated in front of the England team instead of joining his team-mates by the corner flag.
TV coverage showed Jude slapping Barco on the back of the head, sparking a melee between the two teams. Ex-England keeper Paul Robinson, commentating for BBC Radio 5 Live, described Barco’s actions as “probably the worst example of sportsmanship we’ve seen at this World Cup”.
Bellingham’s teammates Eberechi Eze and Jordan Pickford were also consoled by their partners in the stands. England legend Paul Gascoigne paid tribute to the players but questioned manager Thomas Tuchel’s tactics.
Gazza was amonng the 24million TV audience who saw the Three Lions lead 1-0 until the 85th minute against superstar Lionel Messi’s world champions. Gazza, 59, told the Mirror: “I don’t know why after they fought so hard, they tried to hold on for a 1-0 win. I cannot understand it. Defending like that is asking for trouble.”
England became the first team to twice take the lead in World Cup semi-finals – against Croatia in 2018 and on Wednesday – and end up losing. But our fans were again praised for their behaviour. They in turn praised the team for their outstanding performances at the World Cup.
Andy Milne, 63, of Northwich, Cheshire, said: “We’ve had an incredible time. But I have been to nine World Cups and this is the first time I am coming home angry. I was so frustrated with the man management and changes we made. The fans all around me felt the same way.”
Fellow superfan Garford Beck, 64, of London, felt the same way at his 10th World Cup. He spent £10,000 travelling to every England game but said: “I am proud of the team, they have had a great run in the tournament. We were so close.
“With five minutes plus on the clock, I really dared to believe that we were going to the final. Instead I am going to Miami for the bronze match. We really did make some questionable tactical decisions. It was silly to sit so deep with 10 minutes to go.”
Lifelong fan Phil Storey, 66, of Newcastle, who had returned to the UK before the game, said: “Despite all their pressure, we gave away two lousy goals.”
Football writer Henry Winter admitted there was a lot of anger among supporters, saying: “The idea of bringing Tuchel in, at great expense, was to get England over the line. England missed a golden opportunity and this is absolutely key: it is our last World Cup with Harry Kane.”
The BBC said a peak audience of 24 million tuned in to watch England’s 2-1 defeat, making it the most watched live TV event in the last five years – attracting more viewers than the Euro 2020 final when Italy beat England on penalties. The BBC got an 85% share of all TV viewing for Wednesday’s match and its 3D experience – allowing audiences to view matches in real time from every angle – was used 192,000 times.
England now face France in Miami on Saturday in the third place play-off but only 180 tickets have been sold to official fans’ club members, the Football Supporters Association – which described it as “probably the most pointless game of football anyone could imagine”. Its spokesperson paid tribute to fans who followed the team across the US and Mexico, telling them: “This has been some journey, the sacrifices you have made have been incredible.”
