England's Harry Kane was gutted after his side conceded two late goals to lose to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final and the captain said they tried to hold on after going ahead but it was just not enough.
England took the lead through Anthony Gordon's 55th-minute goal this morning (NZ time), but came under enormous pressure as Argentina drove forward.
Enzo Fernandez netted the equaliser and Lautaro Martinez scored the winner in added time.
"We played a good game for the large majority of it. Once we went 1-0 up, we seemed to just try and hold on," Kane told the BBC.
"At this level, it's not enough, so just gutted, gutted because we've worked so hard to be here and the lads have given every last bit of running, sweat, blood, tears, whatever it is.
"After the goal, whether it was them putting more men forward or us just not being able to match them man for man, it just was wave after wave and we were trying to hold on as we were putting blocks in.
"But in the end, it wasn't enough."
"The boys are always ready for any moment in the game. When we went ahead, the messaging was to go again and get another goal," Kane said.
"Then obviously once they scored their two goals, it was to try and find something, but we couldn't quite get the momentum back in the game.
"We had a lot of good moments in this tournament. A lot of good games, another semi-final. We talk about knocking on the door. We're close, we just need to find that missing piece in the final stage of the tournament.
"Just gutted for the boys, gutted for everyone, the team, the staff, the fans."
Head coach Thomas Tuchel expressed "no regrets" over the team's strategy.
After controlling much of the early play and taking a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute, England seemingly went into a shell, attempting to pack the back end and protect its lead while losing the aggressiveness that got it the lead in the first place.
Argentina scored twice in the closing moments of the game, in the 85th and 92nd minutes.
"You can discuss this with a million coaches (but) I have to make a decision on the pitch," Tuchel told the BBC. "I analysed the match and I did it a certain way so that's my responsibility. In the moment, no regrets. The team gave everything and we were very, very close.
"It's not the moment to analyse the full tournament, we just went out because we lost a crucial match."
The coach defended the strategy and the substitutions.
"We went to a back five to close the gaps inside and be strong in the air because straight after our goal, with no substitutions, we just conceded way too many crosses and way too many chances.
"We tried to help but of course, the responsibility is on the coach and if it doesn't go well, it's easy to say it was wrong."
