World Cup 2022 LIVE: Gareth Southgate ‘conflicted’ about England future and ‘joke’ referee kept on

England have landed back in the UK from Qatar with their World Cup dream over, following Saturday night’s 2-1 quarter-final defeat to France.

After three major tournaments in charge, manager Gareth Southgate is now considering his own future - stopping short of clarifying his plans in the immediate aftermath of defeat and then admitting he is ‘conflicted’ about whether to stay on or call it quits, and wary of making ‘the wrong call’.

England exited the World Cup in heartbreaking fashion, as captain Harry Kane scored one penalty to equalise after Aurelien Tchouameni’s opener but, after Olivier Giroud put Les Bleus back in front, Kane spurned his second chance from the spot to send the Three Lions crashing out at the quarter-final stage and claimed afterwards that the exit was his fault.

Meanwhile, the referee - Wilton Sampaio - had his performance criticised and fans of the England team appeared to alter his Wikipedia page in response but he has since been kept on by Fifa for the rest of the tournament.

Follow updates on Southgate’s future and reaction to England’s World Cup exit, as well as all the latest news from Qatar 2022 below:

Gareth Southgate and England World Cup exit latest updates

• England squad land back in the UK after losing to France in World Cup semi-final

• Gareth Southgate wary of making the wrong call and feels ‘conflicted’ about his future as England boss

• England vs France ‘joke’ referee retained by Fifa for rest of the World Cup

• Every England squad member rated for World Cup performances

• Who might make England 2026 World Cup squad?

• Miguel Delaney: Is Gareth Southgate the right manager to turn exciting England into champions?

• Richard Jolly: The famous Croatia shirt is transforming good players into World Cup greats

‘You need a bit of luck sometimes’: Didier Deschamps after France beat England in World Cup

14:58 , Luke Baker

France boss Didier Deschamps admitted “you need a bit of luck sometimes” after the reigning champions edged past England to reach the World Cup semi-finals.

Four years on from lifting the trophy in Moscow, Les Bleus set-up a shot at a second straight final against surprise package Morocco on Wednesday evening.

France secured their return to Al Bayt Stadium for the semi-final after Harry Kane scored one penalty and missed another in a 2-1 victory against Gareth Southgate’s side.

Aurelien Tchouameni’s excellent strike was cancelled out by the England skipper, before Giroud scored his 53rd international goal and Kane blasted a late spot-kick over.

“England had a very good team,” France boss Deschamps said. “What they showed in terms of their technical ability, their intensity, even though we put up a good fight, was impressive.”

‘You need a bit of luck sometimes’ – Didier Deschamps after France beat England

Ronaldo says dedication to Portugal unchanged but will ‘let time be a good adviser’

14:48 , Luke Baker

Cristiano Ronaldo said on Sunday that he had always been dedicated to being a part of the Portuguese national team, which was knocked out of the World Cup a day earlier, but he was coy about his future in the national side.

The 37-year-old, a five-time Ballon D’Or winner, had arrived in Qatar with a mission to prove he could still make a difference on his national team. He ended the tournament, however, coming on as a second-half substitute in Portugal’s 1-0 quarter-final loss to Morocco.

“I just want you all to know that much has been said, much has been written, much has been speculated, but my dedication to Portugal has not changed for a moment,” Ronaldo said in a Facebook post.

“I was always one more person fighting for everyone’s goal and I would never turn my back on my teammates and my country.”

Before the World Cup, he had refused to say whether the tournament in Qatar would be his last and said he was already looking ahead to the 2024 European Championship.

His Facebook post on Sunday, however, ended on an ambiguous note: “For now, there’s not much more to say. Thank you, Portugal. Thank you, Qatar. The dream was beautiful while it lasted... Now, we have to let time be a good adviser and allow everyone to draw their own conclusions.”

England squad land back in the UK after World Cup exit

14:38 , Luke Baker

The England squad have returned home after their World Cup 2022 quarter-final loss to France.

An average audience of 20.4 million TV viewers watched Les Bleus crush the Three Lions’ tournament dreams, winning 2-1 at the Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar on Saturday evening.

The players were greeted with applause as they left Birmingham Airport on Sunday, 11 December. Footage shows Jude Bellingham’s car slowing down so the midfielder could high-five a young fan.

Watch England landing back in the UK:

Gareth Southgate wary of making ‘wrong call’ over England future after World Cup exit against France

14:28 , Luke Baker

Gareth Southgate admits he is “conflicted” over whether to continue as England manager, and will not rush into any decision that could be a “mistake”, following his side’s World Cup quarter-final exit against France.

The 52-year-old said he has found “large parts of the last 18 months difficult”, particularly noting criticism and the boos at Molineux during the 4-0 defeat by Hungary in June.

While Southgate said he has loved most of the last few weeks in Qatar, and doesn’t have any regrets given the nature of the performance against France, he revealed he still hasn’t gotten over the Euro 2020 final loss to Italy and wants to be certain that he has the “energy” for another campaign.

The England manager said he wouldn’t make any decision in the immediate future as he wants to do so with a clear head and not regret it either way, at which point he will sit down with the Football Association (FA) and talk it through.

Read exactly what Southgate had to say on his future as he ponders his position:

Gareth Southgate wary of making ‘wrong call’ over England future

Harry Kane right to take both England penalties against France, stats suggest

14:18 , Luke Baker

Harry Kane’s missed second penalty proved costly on Saturday – but past England spot-kick statistics show no evidence to support a change of taker.

It is the fourth time Kane has taken two penalties in the same England game and his first miss in those matches, while on the two occasions England have switched mid-match the second taker has missed.

Three times on the way to his record-equalling 53 England goals, Kane has scored two penalties in a match as part of a hat-trick.

The first of those, against Panama, helped him to the Golden Boot at the last World Cup as he scored six times in total on England’s run to the semi-finals.

He repeated the feat in a 4-0 European Championship qualifying win over Bulgaria the following year and again, scoring four goals in all, as England beat San Marino 10-0 last November in the qualifying campaign for the current World Cup.

Harry Kane right to take both England penalties against France, stats suggest

Company faces ‘major loss’ after buying 18,000 ‘England World Cup winners’ shirts

14:08 , Luke Baker

A company based in Dorset is facing a ‘major loss’ after purchasing 18,000 T-shirts sporting the message: “England, World Cup winners 2022”.

England were knocked out of the Qatar competition on Saturday, suffering a 2-1 defeat by France in the quarter-finals – after Karl Baxter had bought thousands of T-shirts in anticipation of Gareth Southgate’s team lifting the trophy.

Mr Baxter, managing director of Poole-based Wholesale Clearance UK, had intended to sell the shirts for £29.99 each, but he has now put them on sale at £9.99 per item. The shirts carry the message: “England, World Cup winners 2022. [Football is] finally home.”

“I’m absolutely gutted that England has been knocked out of the World Cup,” Mr Baxter said in a press release. “I have been really impressed with England’s performance in Qatar and was sure they would win this year’s tournament. When approached by a supplier to sell the shirts, I simply couldn’t say, ‘No.’

“But now I’ve been left with 18,000 shirts that say they’ve won, and I’m not sure what to do.”

Company faces ‘major loss’ after buying 18,000 ‘England World Cup winners’ shirts

‘Stop rewarding failure’: Joey Barton calls for Gareth Southgate to be sacked

13:58 , Luke Baker

Former England international Joey Barton has called for Gareth Southgate to be sacked following the Three Lions’ quarter-final exit from the World Cup, saying “it’s time to stop rewarding failure [and] time to hire somebody who can win.”

England outplayed reigning world champions France for parts of their last-eight clash on Saturday but captain Harry Kane’s missed penalty six minutes from time cost them dearly in a 2-1 defeat.

Southgate took over as Three Lions boss after a disastrous Euro 2016 exit to Iceland and Sam Allardyce’s subsequent one-match reign and has rehabilitated the image and results of the national team. England reached the semi-finals at the 2018 World Cup during his first tournament in charge, then made their first major final for 55 years at Euro 2020 before the loss to the holders in Qatar over the weekend.

Southgate - who has a contract to the end of Euro 2024 - has said he feels ‘conflicted’ about whether to stay on as manager and is wary of making the wrong call but Barton, who played one game for England in 2007 and is now manager of mid-table League 1 side Bristol Rovers, is adamant he should be sacked.

‘Stop rewarding failure’: Joey Barton calls for Gareth Southgate to be sacked

The key men behind magical Morocco bid for World Cup glory - Hakim Ziyech

13:48 , Luke Baker

Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea)

Having returned from ‘retirement’ earlier this year after a fall-out with former manager Vahid Halilhodzic, Ziyech has flourished under Walid Regragui.

He is the team’s joint top-scorer at the tournament with two but leads the side for crosses, shots on target and passes and his link-up play with Hakimi is pivotal.

The key men behind magical Morocco bid for World Cup glory - Sofyan Amrabat

13:38 , Luke Baker

Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina)

Morocco’s defensive style means Amrabat has a key role for the side, anchoring the base of midfield.

His performances at the tournament have seen him allocated an even more restricted job protecting the back four than he has at club level but it is one in which he has excelled.

The key men behind magical Morocco bid for World Cup glory - Achraf Hakimi

13:28 , Luke Baker

Achraf Hakimi (Paris St Germain)

The right-back’s quality was not in question, considering for whom he plays, but his importance to the team has become increasingly evident as the tournament has progressed. Hakimi has been a driving force from deep on the right and his audacious panenka in the shootout win over Spain highlighted his confidence.

A closer look at the key men behind magical Morocco bid for World Cup glory - Yassine Bounou

13:20 , Luke Baker

Morocco’s emergence as the surprise package of the World Cup has seen them become the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of the tournament.

They have beaten Belgium, Spain – on penalties – and Portugal on their historic journey into the last four.

Here, we take a look at some of the players who have helped them get there.

Yassine Bounou (Sevilla)

The 31-year-old – known as Bono – was named LaLiga’s top goalkeeper last season and he has carried that form into this tournament. He has kept four clean sheets in five matches, conceding just once (to Canada), and saved two of Spain’s three penalties in the last-16 shootout.

Nicolás Tagliafico unapologetic about Argentine aggression

13:16 , Luke Baker

Argentina take on Croatia in the first World Cup semi-final on Tuesday and they’re currently doing their pre-match press conference.

Nicolás Tagliafico is currently talking to the world’s media and has refused to apologise for his side’s aggression, which has been criticised after an ill-tempered quarter-final win over Netherlands, where the nastiness spilled over to the post-match scenes as well.

Tagliafico said: “We’re not machines, we’re humans, and that means things happen in games... they’ll probably keep happening. It’s two teams going for a dream.”

Tagliafico also chatted about Lionel Messi, saying: “He’s our captain, he’s our leader, he drives us, he motivates. When we go out on the pitch and know he’s with us, it motivates us.”

‘The world is with Morocco’ on uncharted course through World Cup

13:08 , Luke Baker

For Walid Regragui, it was not enough to contemplate one underdog whose improbable path led to a bid to become world champions. His thoughts turned to another. Morocco had become Africa’s first ever semi-finalists on the global stage and their manager turned his thoughts to another sport.

“We have made our people proud and our continent proud and so many people around the world proud,” he said. “When you watch Rocky you want to support Rocky Balboa and we are the Rocky of the World Cup.”

One unlikely story began in the backstreets of Philadelphia. Another stemmed from Montreal, Madrid and Morocco, given the importance of their diaspora. They have found fans in Africa and the Arab world. Morocco see themselves as the people’s champions. In a part of the world where it seemed the preference was for the rich and famous, for Brazil and Argentina as teams, for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as players, they are the outsiders who have captured the imagination.

‘The world is with Morocco’ on uncharted course through World Cup

Crying Cristiano Ronaldo mourns the end of a dream and, perhaps, an era

12:58 , Luke Baker

There were tears in the tunnel. Cristiano Ronaldo has spent too much of 2022 struggling to contain his emotions. This time, at least, he could be forgiven for displaying them. There may have been an element of selfishness about the way the substitute stalked off the pitch, leaving his teammates to commiserate with each other and acknowledge the outnumbered Portuguese contingent in the stands.

Certainly, a man who knows the cameras are trained on him scarcely felt supportive when shaking his head as Ruben Dias and Diogo Costa erred while Youssef En-Nesyri headed in the only goal; it was a Ronaldo-esque finish, but they often are, given the range and volume of goals he has scored over the last two decades.

An hour later, as the victorious Moroccans kneeled down in front of their raucous supporters, Ronaldo was crying for himself, for his dream. He will not complete the set. Lionel Messi may yet win the World Cup but Ronaldo won’t.

One ambition will elude him, one medal escape him. The private grief may have been the reaction of a self-centred individual but, in a sense, his has been a solitary quest. He was the only survivor of the side who lost the 2006 semi-final to France but there will not be a second meeting with Les Bleus in the last four.

Richard Jolly on an icon exiting stage left - perhaps for good:

Crying Cristiano Ronaldo mourns the end of a dream and, perhaps, an era

‘We want to keep making history’: Morocco weary but not wilting as World Cup run goes on

12:48 , Luke Baker

When Wolves had one of the best defensive records in Europe last season and Romain Saiss seemed to be in the form of his life, Bruno Lage came up with a new nickname for an otherwise unheralded centre-back: “The Moroccan Maldini.” It may turn out the former Wolves manager was wrong. Because, for everything the great Paolo Maldini won, there was one medal he was missing. Lage should have picked another defensive great: the Moroccan Daniel Passarella, the Moroccan Franz Beckenbauer, the Moroccan Bobby Moore.

Because each was a World Cup-winning captain and now Saiss, currently of Besiktas, could join them. If one obstacle in his path is France, the country of his birth, another is the injury that meant he was stretchered off in the quarter-final victory over Portugal. The immediate sense was to fear the 32-year-old’s tournament was over. Saiss hopes he may yet be able to face Les Bleus.

Richard Jolly on Morocco’s memorable journey not yet at an end:

‘We want to keep making history’: Morocco weary but not wilting as run goes on

Who are the World Cup semi-finalists? Focus on Morocco

12:38 , Luke Baker

Morocco

Route to semis

The surprise package of this World Cup, Morocco topped Group F after a goalless draw with Croatia and a shock win over Belgium. In the last 16 they frustrated Spain before triumphing on penalties, then stunned Portugal with a 1-0 win that made them the first African nation to reach the last four of a World Cup.

Key player

Such have been Morocco’s all-in committed performances to get this far, it would be hard to single out one individual.

Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri bring attacking flair while goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was named man of the match in the Portugal win, but Morocco have consistently played as a unit.

Style of play

Morocco coach Walid Regragui likes to flood the midfield with bodies, shutting down space for the opposition, defending doggedly and then looking to Ziyech and En-Nesyri to capitalise when they get the ball into the final third.

Who are the World Cup semi-finalists? Focus on France

12:28 , Luke Baker

France

Route to semis

One of the most impressive teams in this World Cup, the defending champions swiftly secured progress out of Group D with a 4-1 rout of Australia and a 2-1 win over Denmark.

A shock 1-0 loss to Tunisia followed after Didier Deschamps made nine changes but when the regulars returned they saw off Poland 3-1 in the last 16.

When Harry Kane missed a late penalty, France secured a 2-1 win over England to reach the last four.

Key player

England did a decent job of keeping Kylian Mbappe quiet on Saturday night but he remains the tournament’s top scorer to date with five goals from as many games.

Combining power, speed and clinical finishing, Mbappe is one of the best players on the planet.

Style of play

France have set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but in reality Olivier Giroud has dropped deeper than both Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, who attack from the wide positions. Adrien Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni provide the platform from midfield.

Who are the World Cup semi-finalists? Focus on Croatia

12:18 , Luke Baker

Croatia

Route to semis

The 2018 beaten finalists have edged their way into the semis four years later with doggedness rather than flashiness.

Their only win inside 90 minutes so far was a 4-1 victory over Canada in Group F, where they finished second behind Morocco with five points.

They needed penalties to beat Japan in the last 16, then used another shootout to upset favourites Brazil in the quarter-finals after Bruno Petkovic struck in the 117th minute to cancel out Neymar’s goal.

Key player

Luka Modric brings the star power as he continues to defy his 37 years, but Croatia have reached this stage thanks to big contributions in all departments.

Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was the hero of the shootout against Japan and made a string of saves to frustrate Brazil in the quarters too.

Style of play

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic looks to Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic to win the midfield battle, setting a platform for the veteran Ivan Perisic to create from his position on the left side of a front three.

Who are the World Cup semi-finalists? Focus on Argentina

12:08 , Luke Baker

The last four of the World Cup is set after France and Morocco celebrated on Saturday. They will now face each other on Wednesday night for a place in the final, a day after Argentina and Croatia go head-to-head in the other semi.

Here we look at the teams still in contention to lift the World Cup.

Argentina

Route to semis

The shock opening defeat by Saudi Arabia seems a long time ago now but Argentina still feel like they might be in second gear.

They eased their way out of Group C with 2-0 wins over Mexico and Poland, then relied on a moment of magic from Lionel Messi as they edged out Australia 2-1 in the 35-year-old’s 1,000th career appearance.

The Netherlands took them all the way to extra time and penalties after Wout Weghorst scored twice late on, but goalkeeper Emi Martinez was the hero in the shootout.

Key player

You may have heard of Messi. For the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, this tournament is surely his last opportunity to fill in the last remaining blank on his otherwise glittering CV, to match the great Diego Maradona by bringing the World Cup home.

Style of play

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has changed his tactics in recent months, swapping 4-4-2 for 4-3-3. That has afforded Messi greater freedom, roaming behind Lauturo Martinez with Angel Di Maria out on a wing.

Defensively, they use an aggressive press which goes throughout the side – a key reason why Martinez has been preferred in attack to Paulo Dybala.

England vs France referee kept on for rest of World Cup despite widespread criticism

12:03 , Luke Baker

Wilton Sampaio, the referee who was widely criticised for his officiating of England vs France, has been retained by Fifa for the remainder of the World Cup.

Sampaio awarded England two penalties in their quarter-final exit in Qatar, but many observers believed that the Brazilian had missed numerous other incidents throughout the game at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.

Bukayo Saka seemed to have been fouled in the lead-up to France’s first goal in their 2-1 win, while England captain Harry Kane also looked to have been fouled on the edge of the box shortly thereafter. Sampaio did not award a free kick in either instance.

Despite criticism of Sampaio’s performance, he has been kept on by Fifa for the remaining games in Qatar. It means the Brazilian is eligible to officiate Argentina’s semi-final against Croatia on Tuesday, France’s last-four clash with Morocco on Wednesday, Saturday’s third-place play-off match, and Sunday’s final.

Controversial England vs France referee kept on for rest of World Cup

Ben White back in Arsenal training after premature exit from England World Cup squad

11:58 , Luke Baker

Ben White returned to training with his Arsenal team-mates in Dubai having left England’s World Cup 2022 squad following an alleged bust-up with assistant Steve Holland.

The 25-year-old did not feature in the first two Group B matches and missed the 3-0 win against Wales through illness, with the Football Association announcing the following day that he had left the camp.

England boss Gareth Southgate said it is important that White’s departure from the World Cup for personal reasons was “respected” after a report emerged of a supposed argument with Holland.

The governing body said White left for “personal reasons” and that he was not expected to return to the squad in Qatar, asking “that the player’s privacy is respected at this moment in time”.

The Daily Star reported on Thursday that the defender was unhappy in camp and struggling to mix with team-mates, before falling out with assistant Holland in front of the rest of the England squad.

White back in Arsenal training after early exit from England World Cup squad

England World Cup player ratings: Who impressed in Qatar and who could have done better?

11:48 , Luke Baker

England are out of the World Cup but can hold their heads high after narrowly losing a closely fought quarter-final against the reigning world champions France.

Although a last-eight exit breaks a pattern of steady progression at major tournaments under Gareth Southgate, England are arguably a better side now than at either the 2018 World Cup or last year’s European Championship.

Jude Bellingham emerged as one of the best young players in Qatar and Bukayo Saka put the misery of his penalty shoot-out miss against Italy behind him, coming away as one of England’s stand-out performers.

It was not enough to reach a second successive World Cup semi-final, though, and it remains to be seen whether Southgate will stay on and serve out his contract, which runs until December 2024.

Here, The Independent rates every member of the squad to play significant minutes on how they played, as well as their manager...

England’s World Cup player ratings: Who impressed in Qatar?

‘Amazing’ Gareth Southgate backed to continue as England boss by Harry Maguire

11:38 , Luke Baker

Harry Maguire hailed “amazing” Gareth Southgate as the England boss considers his future following an agonising World Cup 2022 quarter-final exit at the hands of France.

Harry Kane scored a penalty and missed a second as a 2-1 loss to Les Bleus prevented England reaching successive World Cup semi-finals for the first time in their history.

Southgate has said he wants time to reflect on the tournament before deciding if he will continue on, with his contract running to after Euro 2024.

His players, however, have come out in support of the 52-year-old, with Maguire the latest to praise Southgate.

‘Amazing’ Southgate backed to continue as England boss by Maguire

Jude Bellingham central to future plans but who else might make England World Cup squad in 2026?

11:28 , Luke Baker

The oldest player in England’s Euro 2020 squad was also the oldest in their World Cup 2022 squad. And if, in Kyle Walker, he may have also been the quickest, there is the possibility that a flying 36-year-old could still be the fastest footballer in England by the time the next World Cup kicks off.

But the probability is that Walker’s World Cup career ended with his excellent display against Kylian Mbappe on Saturday. He will not be alone in that. England’s age profile felt almost perfect for Euro 2020 and this World Cup. They have little need for a huge overhaul ahead of Euro 2024. But by the time that, assuming they qualify, they head across the Atlantic in 2026, it will be with a different cast list.

Probably a different manager, too, and Gareth Southgate’s eventual successor, whether now or in 2024, will have his own priorities and preferences. The squad in four years’ time will reflect system and style of play, which players have progressed and regressed, who is injured and who has emerged.

But there will be changes.

Richard Jolly predicts England’s 2026 World Cup squad:

Bellingham central to plans but who else might make England World Cup squad in 2026?

Alan Shearer: World Cup penalty miss will haunt Harry Kane for the rest of his life

11:18 , Luke Baker

England captain Harry Kane’s World Cup quarter-final penalty miss will haunt him for the rest of his life, according to former striker Alan Shearer.

Gareth Southgate’s side exited the tournament in Qatar after the Tottenham forward blazed over his second spot-kick late on in the 2-1 defeat to France.

Shearer believes that will live with Kane forever, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: “That’s the life of a centre-forward. You put yourself in those positions and it will haunt Harry for the rest of his life. But that is what you have to put up with as a forward – you win some and you lose some.

“You don’t score every one and some chances mean more than others and it will hurt like hell. The biggest one I ever missed was against Sunderland and it still haunts me to this day.”

Penalty miss will haunt Harry Kane for the rest of his life, says Alan Shearer

Football’s not coming home after England World Cup exit but Dave the cat is

11:08 , Luke Baker

Football may not be coming home, but Dave the cat is.

After England lost to France in the World Cup 2022 quarter-final, the squad began their journey back from their Al Wakrah hotel base on Sunday afternoon.

They will eventually be joined by Dave, the cat who spent time around the players and was adopted as their mascot.

Manchester City duo John Stones and Kyle Walker were pictured with Dave on most evenings and, speaking in the week building up to the France game, the latter was asked about their feline friend.

“Dave is fine,” he said. “He had a little scrap with another cat the other night. I think they are fighting over territory and the food. But he’s doing well.”

Football’s not coming home after England World Cup exit but Dave the cat is

Gareth Southgate ponders his England future but has ‘few regrets’ from World Cup

10:58 , Luke Baker

England manager Gareth Southgate is considering his future but left Qatar with few regrets following the crushing World Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of France.

Harry Kane scored one penalty and missed another against the reigning champions on Saturday night in a 2-1 defeat for the Euro 2020 runners-up.

England’s wait to emulate Sir Alf Ramsey’s 1966 heroes goes on as attention turns to Southgate as he processes the last-eight loss and ponders his future.

The 52-year-old has a contract until the European Championship in 2024 but wants to ensure he has the energy required to go again and that the decision is right for the team.

Gareth Southgate ponders his England future but has ‘few regrets’ from World Cup

England’s shot at immortality fails to provide enduring World Cup memories, on or off the pitch

10:48 , Luke Baker

When Gareth Southgate spoke to the England players, some sensing a slight crack in his voice, the manager mostly praised how “brave” they’d been and how it was only a matter of time.

He told them they’d “shown balls” in going toe to toe with the defending world champions, and proven themselves the superior side. There could be few regrets about what had happened on the pitch because they’d left everything on it. Unlike Croatia 2018 or Italy in Euro 2020, England hadn’t been tactically or technically undone. They had actually got it right against France, and had the better of the wider game, if not – crucially – the fine details.

And yet it was precisely because they played better that England actually felt worse. There was a numbness in the dressing room. This was no longer about a journey, after all. It is about finishing one and finally getting there.

Miguel Delaney reflects on England’s defeat in Doha:

England’s shot at immortality fails to provide enduring World Cup memories

England’s exit from World Cup was most watched moment of 2022

10:38 , Luke Baker

An average audience of 20.4 million TV viewers watched England’s World Cup 2022 dreams end in defeat to reigning champions France in a blockbuster quarter-final clash.

The World Cup match on ITV, which saw Harry Kane miss a late penalty ending in a 2-1 quarter-final exit, was the most watched programme across all TV channels this year, the broadcaster said.

ITV said the game drew the highest average TV audience of the tournament, surpassing England’s round of 16 match against Senegal which was watched by an average of 18.4 million with 13.4 million watching the whole coverage.

An average of 20.4 million people watched the match on all viewing devices, with 15.8 million watching the whole coverage.

England’s exit from World Cup was most watched moment of 2022

England’s World Cup exit hurts. That is Gareth Southgate’s greatest legacy

10:28 , Luke Baker

If there is a silver lining, it is that this hurts. It did not have to. There was a time when it would not have, in the not too distant past. England are out of a major tournament again, like they were 12 years ago, when performances had nowhere near matched the expectations; like they were eight years ago when they finished bottom of their group; like they were six years ago when arguably the most embarrassing defeat in their history cemented a sense of apathy around this team.

But this time, instead, England are out and it hurts, like it hurt last summer and a few summers before that too. And if this World Cup quarter-final defeat to France sparks any fresh criticism of the person who is mostly responsible for that change in energy and sentiment around England, if it perhaps leads Gareth Southgate to wonder whether it is all worth it in the aggregate and he considers calling time on his six years in charge, then the fact that this hurts again will be his greatest legacy.

Mark Critchley on Southgate transforming the expectations surrounding England despite their defeat:

England’s World Cup exit hurts. That is Gareth Southgate’s greatest legacy

Kylian Mbappe is the world’s best decoy as Kyle Walker wins battle but loses war

10:18 , Luke Baker

Kyle Walker dropped his head, opened his lungs and ran. This was exactly the type of run he was in the team to make, a fast-twitch surge the length of the field to recover his position, and yet he knew this was a race already lost. Kylian Mbappe hadn’t followed him back into deep French territory, and now Mbappe had the ball, and he was dribbling, and Walker had left his station unattended.

It hadn’t started this way. France kicked off and immediately switched the ball to Mbappe advancing down the wing where Walker met him with a crunch. As France settled on the ball in the opening forays, Mbappe lurked on the fringes, flitting in and out with little steps of deception as Walker stood warily a few yards inside, glancing coquettishly over his shoulder, the two of them conducting their own dance away from the rest.

Lawrence Ostlere on Walker generally matching Mbappe but to little avail for the Three Lions

Kylian Mbappe is the world’s best decoy as Kyle Walker wins battle but loses war

The famous Croatia shirt is transforming good players into World Cup greats

10:08 , Luke Baker

In 1950, as they scarcely need reminding, Uruguay won the World Cup. The crowd at the Maracana when they beat Brazil in what was, in effect, the final is thought to have been around 200,000. To put it another way, almost 10 percent of Uruguay’s population at the time.

It has proved a turning point in the history of the global game, and not merely because every subsequent World Cup has had an actual final. Uruguay have reached subsequent semi-finals in 1970 and 2010, the Netherlands three finals but no smaller country has won the World Cup since. Until now? Probably not, but Croatia, with a population of less than 4 million, are semi-finalists for the second successive tournament and the third time since 1998 and they have been underestimated every time.

Go back a generation or two and the Yugoslavia national team used to be referred to as “the Brazilians of Europe” but Croatia have eliminated the actual Brazilians, and without being able to call upon Serbian talent such as Dusan Tadic, Dusan Vlahovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Filip Kostic, Bosnia’s record scorer Edin Dzeko, Slovenia’s brilliant goalkeeper Jan Oblak or his Atletico Madrid team-mate, Montenegro defender Stefan Savic.

Richard Jolly discusses Croatia continuing to punch above their weight on the world stage:

The famous Croatia shirt is transforming good players into World Cup greats

How England’s players rated at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

09:58 , Luke Baker

England exited the World Cup after a 2-1 quarter-final loss to reigning champions France at Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday evening.

Gareth Southgate’s side were unable to match their run to the last four in 2018 and returned home from Qatar the morning after their defeat.

Here, the PA news agency rates the performances of the squad members who played some part in taking England to the quarter-final stage.

How England’s players rated at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

Are there any World Cup games are on today? Full schedule, kick-off times and semi-final fixtures

09:48 , Luke Baker

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar began on 20 November as 32 teams aim to reach the final and become world champions on 18 December.

The tournament is the first to be held in the Arab world and only the second to take place in Asia, after Japan and South Korea joint-hosted the event in 2002. This edition will be the last to feature just 32 teams, with the tournament being expanded from 2026 onwards in order to feature 48 nations.

Everything you need to know about the World Cup 2022 fixtures:

Are there any World Cup games are on today? Full schedule and fixtures

FA respond to England’s World Cup exit

09:38 , Luke Baker

The FA released a statement on Sunday after England’s exit at the World Cup.

CEO Mark Bullingham said: “We would like to thank the millions of England fans who supported us so well throughout the tournament, whether here in Qatar or from back home.

“Like all England fans, we feel the pain of losing a quarter-final, along with the coaches, players and support team who are hurting this morning. Gareth (Southgate) and Steve (Holland) prepared the team exceptionally well throughout the tournament. The players were committed to winning the trophy and were led very well by Harry Kane. But sport can have fine margins and on the day, against the current World Champions, it was not to be.

“This is a very exciting young English squad and, despite the intense disappointment of last night, they should be very proud of their performances in Qatar. We are incredibly proud of Gareth, the players, the coaches and the support team and appreciate all the hard work they put in.

“Our congratulations go to France and we wish them the very best of luck for the rest of the tournament.”

Is Gareth Southgate the right manager to turn exciting England into champions?

09:28 , Luke Baker

As Gareth Southgate boarded the flight from Doha on Sunday morning, he genuinely had no idea whether this was his last duty as England manager. He admitted in the immediate aftermath of the France defeat that he is “conflicted”. What was particularly striking was how he stated the boos at Molineux during the 4-0 defeat to Hungary earlier this year had got to him, and how he has found much of the last 18 months “difficult”.

Some who know Southgate now firmly believe he will go, that his “energy” for the job is at its limit.

It should be stressed that he did feel similar after Euro 2020, which he said still haunts him much more than the 2-1 quarter-final elimination on Saturday.

It is why he doesn’t want to make any decision over the next few days. Southgate knows that would be a mistake, and potentially lead to a “wrong call”. He instead wants to come back with a clear mind, and talk things through fully and rationally with the FA.

Miguel Delaney attempts to answer the question on everyone’s lips:

Is Gareth Southgate the right manager to turn exciting England into champions?

Next England manager latest odds

09:18 , Luke Baker

One of the questions yet to be answered once the fallout from England’s World Cup campaign is analysed is whether or not Gareth Southgate will continue to lead the team.

The players have been quick to offer support but the boss himself has said he feels ‘conflicted’ about his future.

Here are the latest odds (via Oddschecker) on who could potentially replace him if he steps down:

Mauricio Pochettino 5/1

Eddie Howe 10/1

Thomas Tuchel 10/1

Graham Potter 12/1

Brendan Rodgers 16/1

Steven Gerrard 16/1

Steve Cooper 16/1

Frank Lampard 16/1

Wayne Rooney 20/1

Arsene Wenger 25/1

Lee Carsley 25/1

Jose Mourinho 33/1

Rafa Benitez 33/1

Others included in the rather diverse selection are Sarina Wiegman, Julian Nagelsmann, Roberto Mancini and Chris Wilder.

The World Cup 2022 quarter-finals bring shock and mayhem | You Ask The Questions

09:08 , Luke Baker

Eight teams become four as the World Cup 2022 begins to draw to a close.

After England’s heartbreaking loss to France, Morocco’s history-making run, Brazil’s surprise loss and the mayhem that is always a Netherlands vs Argentina game, Qatar 2022 is throwing up lots of questions.

Luckily, Miguel Delaney is on hand to answer yours in You Ask The Questions.

Can another World Cup semi-final mean Luka Modric is considered one of the greatest? Did the referees get it right? And can Neymar still be considered a great?

Find out here:

The World Cup 2022 quarter-finals bring shock and mayhem | You Ask The Questions

England fans appear to update referee’s Wikipedia after World Cup loss

08:58 , Luke Baker

Wikipedia appears to have been edited by England fans upset by decisions made by referee Wilton Sampaio in the first half of the World Cup quarter-final.

The Brazilian referee drew the ire of England supporters after significant decisions in the first half of the game against France, with a possible foul in the build up to the French opener and a possible penalty shout eventually waved away after a lengthy VAR review.

Members of the public can edit the online encyclopaedia and in changes to Mr Sampaio’s Wikipedia page which were later taken down he was described as “a Brazilian cheat”.

Another edit stated that Mr Sampaio had “lost his guide dog”.

“Please return dog if found, the dog has a match to ref,” the Wikipedia page read.

England fans update referee’s Wikipedia after World Cup loss

‘Lucky’: How French media reacted to France’s win over England in World Cup quarter-final

08:49 , Luke Baker

The France team can “count themselves lucky” according to media in their home country, after the world champions edged past England 2-1 to reach the World Cup semi-finals.

France led their quarter-final with England on Saturday (10 December) after a long-range strike from Aurelien Tchouameni, before Harry Kane struck an equaliser from the penalty spot in the second half.

An Olivier Giroud header restored Les Bleus’ lead, however, and Kane missed his second penalty late in the game as France went on to set up a semi-final against Morocco.

La Croix claimed that Didier Deschamps’ team “can count themselves lucky” after progressing, while Le Monde wrote that France “struggled” their way past the Three Lions.

“Crunchy” was the headline used by L’Equipe, after France gave away the two penalties and – as Harry Maguire and many English fans believed – were fortunate to get away with many other challenges.

‘Lucky’: How French media reacted to France’s win over England

‘Ref is a joke!’: England vs France referee slammed after World Cup exit

08:36 , Luke Baker

The England vs France referee was labelled “a joke” by Gary Neville with heavy criticism coming in for Brazilian official Wilton Sampaio.

The Three Lions’ first gripe came during the first half in the build-up to the opening World Cup quarter-final goal for Les Bleus.

Bukayo Saka protested for a foul after Dayot Upamecano’s challenge, but play continued, with Aurélien Tchouaméni soon breaking the deadlock.

Sampaio did award two penalties for England, the second of which following a VAR review. The first spot kick was dispatched by Kane before a second was blazed high over the bar, proving crucial as England were eliminated.

‘Ref is a joke!’: England vs France referee slammed by Gary Neville

England squad land back in the UK after World Cup exit

08:22 , Luke Baker

The England squad have returned home after their World Cup 2022 quarter-final loss to France.

An average audience of 20.4 million TV viewers watched Les Bleus crush the Three Lions’ tournament dreams, winning 2-1 at the Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar on Saturday evening.

The players were greeted with applause as they left Birmingham Airport on Sunday, 11 December. Footage shows Jude Bellingham’s car slowing down so the midfielder could high-five a young fan.

Watch England landing back in the UK:

Gareth Southgate wary of making ‘wrong call’ over England future after World Cup exit against France

08:19 , Luke Baker

Gareth Southgate admits he is “conflicted” over whether to continue as England manager, and will not rush into any decision that could be a “mistake”, following his side’s World Cup quarter-final exit against France.

The 52-year-old said he has found “large parts of the last 18 months difficult”, particularly noting criticism and the boos at Molineux during the 4-0 defeat by Hungary in June.

While Southgate said he has loved most of the last few weeks in Qatar, and doesn’t have any regrets given the nature of the performance against France, he revealed he still hasn’t gotten over the Euro 2020 final loss to Italy and wants to be certain that he has the “energy” for another campaign.

The England manager said he wouldn’t make any decision in the immediate future as he wants to do so with a clear head and not regret it either way, at which point he will sit down with the Football Association (FA) and talk it through.

Read exactly what Southgate had to say on his future as he ponders his position:

Gareth Southgate wary of making ‘wrong call’ over England future

England exit World Cup at quarter-final stage to France

08:12 , Luke Baker

Like so many times before but, really, in a totally different way. England ultimately go out of an international tournament after a missed penalty from a star, but this wasn’t a shoot-out, and it wasn’t a case of Gareth Southgate’s side getting outclassed in midfield. It wasn’t even a player of Kylian Mbappe’s class scorching them.

Instead, England were arguably the superior side in this 2-1 defeat to the French, who still remain world champions. Southgate’s team had chances that were as good. They had some of the better play.

They just didn’t have much luck, or – if you want to be harsh on the referee, which many will – some of the core decisions.

And that meant that the biggest chance of all – the opportunity to eliminate the highest class of side in a key game – wasn’t taken either. The reassurance will be that England made them look far inferior to that in a fine performance. The reality that matters most is that they again went out at the quarter-final stage.

Saturday night’s match report from Miguel Delaney in Doha:

England out of World Cup after defeat to France in quarter-final

Harry Kane takes responsibility for World Cup exit

08:10 , Luke Baker

Harry Kane says the England players want Gareth Southgate to stay and love having him as manager, after the 2-1 quarter-final defeat to France at the World Cup.

The Tottenham Hotspur forward similarly added that he would take the second penalty again and took full responsibility for his miss - which saw England squander a second chance to equalise - saying it was his fault and that it came “purely down to execution”.

“I’m someone who prepares to take one or two penalties in the same game,” he added. “So I can’t blame my preparation.

“I felt as confident in the second as in the first, but it was 100% the execution. It’s my fault. Obviously it hurts now and it will hurt for a while, but it’s part of being the captain and leader of the team. You have to take responsibility and I take it today.”

More from Kane here on his penalty - and on the England manager Gareth Southgate:

‘It’s my fault’: Harry Kane discusses penalty miss after England exit World Cup

World Cup 2022 LIVE: England squad land in UK as Gareth Southgate ‘conflicted’ about future

08:14 , Luke Baker

Good morning and welcome to the Independent’s World Cup reaction live blog as the England squad land in the UK and Gareth Southgate continues his future as manager.

The Three Lions were beaten at the quarter-final stage by France on Saturday night, leaving Didier Deschamps’ side to progress to face Morocco in the semi-finals, with Argentina against Croatia the other fixture in the last four.

We’ve got all the news and latest updates.