England winger Bukayo Saka has admitted that the national team are still carrying the emotional scar of their painful 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina.
The Three Lions suffered a dramatic 2-1 defeat after conceding two late goals to Argentina, ending their hopes of reaching their first men’s World Cup final since 1966.
Although England recovered to beat France 6-4 in the third-place play-off and claim the bronze medal, Saka acknowledged that the disappointment of falling short in the semi-final remains fresh within the squad.
Speaking ahead of England’s opening UEFA Nations League fixture against Spain at Wembley, the Arsenal winger said the players had invested heavily in the belief that they could go all the way in the tournament.
“Obviously, there is still a scar on us when you believed and everyone was so united and so confident we could do it. Not just us, but the whole country, we felt,” Saka said.
The 25-year-old added that emotional wounds cannot simply be erased immediately, stressing that the squad must allow time to deal with the disappointment.
“You try to move on as soon as possible, but you know a scar is a scar, it decides to heal when it heals itself,” he said.
England’s run to the bronze medal nevertheless represented their best World Cup finish in six decades. The team had progressed deep into the competition before the late collapse against Argentina denied them a place in the final.
The defeat has remained an important talking point as Thomas Tuchel’s side return to international action for the first time since the tournament.
Tuchel reportedly held a meeting with the squad to discuss the semi-final defeat and help the players turn their attention towards the next phase of England’s development. The manager is now preparing his team for the Nations League and, ultimately, the 2028 European Championship, which England will co-host.
Saka, meanwhile, is determined that England do not allow the disappointment to dominate their new campaign.
The Arsenal star said the team must now draw a line under the World Cup and focus on their immediate objectives in the Nations League.
“We are trying to draw a line under the World Cup now and focus on the new international season that we have coming up,” Saka said.
England face a difficult opening assignment against Spain, the reigning world champions, at Wembley. The fixture will provide an immediate test of how quickly Tuchel’s players can refocus following the disappointment in North America.
Saka’s comments also underline the emotional investment that surrounded England’s World Cup campaign. The squad had developed a strong belief that they could challenge for the trophy, while supporters across the country shared that expectation.
That confidence made the late semi-final defeat particularly difficult to accept.
For Saka personally, the tournament also had its own challenges. The Arsenal winger dealt with an Achilles problem during the competition and was an unused substitute during England’s semi-final defeat to Argentina.
Despite the disappointment, Saka returned to the spotlight in the third-place match against France, scoring a hat-trick as England secured a 6-4 victory.
That result gave the team an opportunity to finish the tournament on a positive note, although the bronze medal could not completely erase the frustration of missing out on the final.
The Nations League now offers England a fresh competitive challenge.
Saka said the team are focused on navigating four difficult group matches and securing a place in the knockout stages.
“We have got four massive, difficult group games to try and qualify us for the Nations League [knockouts] that we are really focused on,” he said.
The winger also spoke positively about the emergence of his young Arsenal teammate Max Dowman, who has attracted attention with his performances despite being only 16.
Saka believes Dowman’s ability could eventually earn him senior international recognition, although England Under-21 manager Lee Carsley has indicated that the teenager’s development remains the immediate priority.
For England, the focus now shifts from what happened in the World Cup to what comes next.
The scars of the Argentina defeat may still be present, but the new international season provides Tuchel and his players with an opportunity to build on their strong tournament run and address the disappointment in a competitive environment.
Saka’s message is therefore clear: England have not completely forgotten the pain of their World Cup exit, but they cannot allow it to define what comes next.
The first opportunity to move forward arrives against Spain at Wembley, where England will begin their Nations League campaign against the team that lifted the World Cup trophy.
