England's semi-final collapse: just 12% possession in 30 minutes after Gordon's goal

Published Jul 16, 06:41 PM UTC

England suffered a historic collapse in the 2026 World Cup semi-final against Argentina, squandering a 1-0 lead after Anthony Gordon's goal. Data from OptaJoe revealed England had just 12% possession in the 30 minutes between Gordon's goal and Argentina's equalizer, the lowest by a winning team in a World Cup match in 60 years. In the 19 minutes between Ezri Konsa's introduction and the winning goal, England attempted only 11 passes, completing just four—two of which were a kick-off restart and a goalkeeper exchange. England made no successful tackles after the 63rd minute and conceded only one free-kick in the final 34 minutes. Manager Thomas Tuchel's defensive substitution (Konsa for Gordon) and shift to a 5-4-1 formation removed pace on the break, while 201cm Dan Burn was ineffective against 174cm Lautaro Martínez's winning header. The analysis highlights poor game management, lack of attacking outlet, and tactical errors.