Boxpark Wembley was left devastated by Argentina’s seven-minute demolition of England’s defence, and the streams of rowdy Three Lions fans quickly dispersed after the full-time whistle… leaving a lonely sea of empty plastic cups strewn on the lobby floor.
Before kick-off, fans were in jubilant spirits, riding high after seven glorious days of back-to-back knockout wins against Mexico and Norway; a novelty under England of previous generations. I spoke to numerous spectators heading toward Boxpark Wembley, and even more inside, and it was all the same story. England, comfortable win.
Eight years ago, the overwhelming feeling was nervousness as England headed into their first ever World Cup semi-final on foreign soil. Fans felt like we were out of our depth, and were almost just making the numbers up. That’s no great surprise seeing as two years earlier, England were dumped out of Euro 2016 by Iceland, in a game that became infamous for watching Premier League winners forgetting how to kick a ball to a teammate 10 yards away.
No, England vs Argentina was different from that feeling of anxiety against Croatia in 2018. There was a general feeling of joy when walking into Boxpark. Smiles were everywhere, from cheery commuters, delighted bar staff, to boozy punters. England weren’t there to make up the numbers this time.
Three Lions fans Oliver Juddah and Benny Dolman both expected a comfortable win for Thomas Tuchel’s side against Argentina, particularly after the superb performance against Mexico. At just 18 years old each, their earliest memories of England in a World Cup were from Brazil 2014. Not that anybody would want to remember, but England were booted out without reaching the group stages, with Costa Rica and Uruguay progressing at England and Italy’s expense.
But, Oliver agreed that this England team was levels above that dross.
“I think this England team is pretty strong,” he said. “Everyone was talking about how Thomas Tuchel didn’t pick the right players, but I think the squad shows chemistry, and I think we’ll do well. We obviously have quality, but like, I think it’s the chemistry that will bring us through.”
“Yeah, I agree,” added pal Benny. “Honestly, I think they’ve really stepped up, the whole team.”
Inside Boxpark itself, the main floor was full well before kick-off, with fans desperate to drink in the atmosphere of a World Cup semi-final with friends and family. St George’s flag bucket hats were being handed out at the entrance, and a fair few had already been lobbed across the concourse before the national anthems – which is admittedly preferable to beer.
As the teams were walking out of the tunnel, I spoke to Josh, 23, who admitted he was very confident. Possibly too confident.
“I know Argentina,” he said. “I know that they can play with the dark arts, and I know they’ve got Messi; the GOAT. But, I think we’ll win 2-1; Kane and Bellingham, and Messi.”
Just for a moment, he let his heart speak before his brain – an ill fortune known to all England fans…
“If England win, it will be number one for me… my best England memory. The Euros final, that was a heartbreak, twice. So this one would top all of it.”
The first half came and went relatively quickly, with very little in the way of goalmouth action. But that didn’t stop the Boxpark crowd belting out rendition after rendition of ‘Don’t Take Me Home’. …and for a time, it seemed like their requests were being granted.
Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute goal took the roof off Boxpark. A sea of 2,500 bobbing grown adults, jumping up and down while desperately hugging anyone within touching distance and screaming in their ears. After I stopped embracing two men I’d never met or spoken to before, I quickly checked just how loud it was inside the venue. 100 decibels; similar to a jet taking off. It felt like it, too.
It took a good five minutes for everyone to turn back to the screen and remember a match was still taking place; I was guilty of this more than anyone. But everyone was soon brought down to earth when Argentina’s Giuliano Simeone sped past the England defence and into the penalty area.
Then came new cult hero Djed Spence and his “tackle of the tournament”. The noise was arguably even more deafening that Gordon’s goal; possibly because it was Spence himself at the centre of the incident, and everyone’s developed a little soft spot for Tuchel’s versatile left-back.
The earsplitting noise began to turn from joy to nervousness, however. As the match progressed, more and more fans’ faces were slinking further behind their hands, and ultimately the inevitable happened.
There weren’t any groans, murmurs or angry gestures when Enzo Fernandez guided his edge-of-the-box shot into Jordan Pickford’s top right-hand corner. It was almost as if everyone had seen the net rustling 10 minutes earlier, and it was just inescapable.
The same could also be said seven minutes later, when England were dropping deeper and deeper inside their own half. With few attacking options on the pitch, England were just sitting, waiting for extra-time. But Argentina are a different beast.
That seven-minute swing from 1-0 up, to 2-1 down, showcased a range of fan emotions you’re unlikely to see in any other sport. The jubilance of Djed Spence crunching into Giuliano Simeone, to the heartbreak of Lautaro Martinez’s open header in the 92nd minute.
Some fans left the venue there and then. The majority were determined to stick it out to the end, albeit with the air sucked from their lungs and their heads spinning from Argentina’s turnaround.
Everyone inside Boxpark was praying for a miracle. But, their prayers went unanswered, and England’s wait for another World Cup final goes on for four more years.
Kav, 35, admitted he was heartbroken after the final whistle. It’s the hope that kills you, he said.
He said: “It’s just gutting, isn’t it? So disappointing. We were so close and we just couldn’t hold out. It’s a shame. It’s just a real shame.”
Despite the ever-turning heartbreak of being an England fan, he also said this Three Lions team should be proud of what they’d achieved – a sentiment shared by almost everyone I spoke to inside Boxpark after the whistle.
“This is the furthest we’ve got in a World Cup since I was born,” said Kav. “Like, my first memory was ’98, Argentina, right? That’s my first football memory. So, we got further than we’ve ever got, we should be proud of that.
“But it is a shame, because I felt like we… we were just so close.”
Meanwhile, Rav, 38, said attentions must now turn to two years time; Euro 2028, which will be hosted by the UK and the Republic of Ireland. There’s room for optimism, he claimed.
“We’ve got Jude Bellingham, who might be even better than he is now, for this World Cup, right? And we’ve got good players coming through.”
That was the overwhelming feeling coming out of Boxpark tonight. Disappointment at England’s defeat, of course. But also optimism. The Three Lions showed a different kind of fight in this World Cup that many fans had never seen before.
…and even if it’s not to be this time, we’ll still have that glorious night in Mexico City to talk about for generations to come.
