‘He really struggled’: England’s Jude Bellingham opens up after 2-1 defeat to Argentina

Jude Bellingham urges England fans to stay united (Image: X England and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has broken his silence following England’s heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals, urging fans to remain united despite the disappointment. Bellingham enjoyed an outstanding World Cup campaign, finishing as England’s top scorer with six goals and one assist. However, he failed to add to his tally in the semi-finals as the Three Lions suffered another painful exit.Reflecting on the defeat, in an emotional Instagram post, the 23-year-old thanked fans for their unwavering support and urged the nation to continue the unity shown during the tournament.“I really struggled to find the right words for yesterday and the last few weeks, but this one from our driver in Kansas pretty much hit the nail on the head. Thank you for the incredible support from home and those who spent their hard-earned money to travel to America and get behind us. Don’t let the unity and love we’ve seen in our country end this campaign!” wrote Bellingham.

Argentina advances to the finals of the FIFA World Cup

Argentina beat England 2-1 in a dramatic FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Lionel Messi orchestrated a stunning late comeback with two critical assists to shatter England’s dreams of reaching a first World Cup final since 1966.After a fiercely contested and goalless first half, England took the lead in the 55th minute when Anthony Gordon headed in Morgan Rogers’ cross after good play from Harry Kane. However, Thomas Tuchel’s decision to switch to a defensive five-man midfield saw sustained pressure from Argentina. Lionel Messi punished England’s retreat by setting up Enzo Fernández for a stunning long-range equalizer in the 85th minute before producing another moment of brilliance in stoppage time when he sent a pinpoint cross for Lautaro Martínez to head home the winner after Alexis Mac Allister’s shot hit the post to complete Argentina’s dramatic 2-1 comeback.