England managed to erase Mbappé and deserved better against France, but say goodbye to a postponed World Cup since 1966

It is true that he did not have a megastar in his team like Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappé. However, England has 26 great players in its squad who play, with the exception of Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), in the Premier League, the best and most competitive league on the planet. He didn’t get to him.

Name by name, without a doubt, it was the most powerful team of this World Cup. It was also for his huge substitute variations with a deep and talented bench. Perhaps Brazil were the only ones who could put him in the background in those areas, with the plus of having Neymar. Like those in yellow-green, however, the Three Lions team said goodbye in the quarterfinals of Qatar 2022. Too soon. Also undeserved because it was so much more than France. But, you know, it’s not enough to even deserve.

The defeat against France, after goals from Aurelien Tchouameni and Oliver Giroud and vital saves from Hugo Lloris, left Gareth Southgate’s side with no chance of making it back to the semi-finals, a feat they achieved at the hands of the same coach four years ago . and a half in Russia 2018.

He was close to taking the game to overtime. he deserved it But the huge Harry Kane, who had converted the 1-1 run from 12 paces, added yet another episode to the story that big cracks can fail and sent the second penalty of the night skyrocketing. It would have been 2-2. Never in history have England been able to go so far in back-to-back World Cups.

England didn’t deserve to lose. He insists. He was superior because he knew how to contain a missing Kylian Mbappé, who in his weakest game in the desert could only win a duel against Kyle Walker, his assigned scorer, who always manages to control him. The PSG star himself once said so in an interview with France Football: “It’s like a tank when it reaches its maximum speed.” He canceled one of the two top figures of the tournament from the field. He did not reach.

Southgate’s side were dominating in possession and in territory. He also had many more shots on target (14 against 7). But Lloris has almost always responded well in pressure situations. When he failed, he recovered quickly. And when the stick didn’t come, he saved it. Not to mention that, as has already been said, Kane missed the penalty that would have sent the match to extra time. Therefore it is understandable why the Englishman collapsed to the ground as soon as the Brazilian referee Wilton Pereira Sampaio signaled the end of the game. The feeling that they should go further hovered in the environment. It was a great fight between Luke Shaw, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka. But it becomes difficult if the rival scores more goals than you.

It went better, they played better, but they came out completely empty-handed without the possibility of progressing to the semi-finals where Morocco had been waiting before, the Cinderella here at the Middle East World Cup.

It seems like a curse for the inventors of modern football, whose only great joy was more than half a century ago when they were crowned champions as hosts in 1966. With this defeat to France, they have also inflated an undesirable statistic because they fell in a round of 16 for the sixth time in the last seven World Cup H2Hs against the Europeans. Apparently, having the Premier League isn’t enough for you either.

England had arrived at the surprisingly frozen Al Bayt stadium as the strongest team in the tournament alongside Portugal. Maybe he didn’t shine, but he scored. He added another one and for now only leads that category. But it’s no longer needed. Nor will Kane be able to continue scoring goals, who this Saturday tied Wayne Rooney as his side’s all-time top scorer with 53 shouts.

With little flavor England leaves Qatar. He had arrived with the equipment to conquer the world. But France, on their worst night so far of the tournament, had other plans. And Kane and company are already packing to get on the plane.

Al Khor, Qatar. Special delivery.