Football defeats have a reliable public choreography: a late goal, a stunned captain, and then a queue of dignitaries trying to land the right note. After England's loss to Argentina in Atlanta, Prince William urged the team to keep their "heads high" after the defeat.
Argentina scored twice late on to book a final against Spain. England had led after Anthony Gordon broke the deadlock in the 55th minute, but the closing stages turned the night sharply in Argentina's favour. Subtle, it was not.
How the semi-final turned against England
The match had reached half-time without a goal, keeping England in the kind of tense knockout rhythm that makes every misplaced pass feel like a national incident.
Gordon's second-half strike gave England the advantage, briefly putting them on course for the final. Argentina, however, found a way through near the end, scoring two late goals to complete the turnaround and secure their place against Spain.
For England, it was another near-miss on a major stage, and another evening where the emotional temperature rose well beyond the pitch. That is the special administrative burden of following the national team.
