Enda Brady: UK correspondent on England losing to Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The wait for England's next Football World Cup final appearance will extend beyond 60 years.

The Three Lions have lost 2-1 to defending champions Argentina in the semi finals in Atlanta...after conceding two late goals in seven minutes.

Manager Thomas Tuchel is already under scrutiny for his second half tactics after leading 1-nil.

Argentina and Spain will contest the final in New Jersey on Monday.

UK correspondent Enda Brady unpacked the collective disappointment from England.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
In the Brady UK correspondence with that's hallo, Inda might
the English must be gutted.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
My wife's still in bed, that's how depressed she is.
What can you say her? What can you say? Look?
They were beaten by a better team, and if you
look in the news coverage here this morning, they've got
the German to blame the manager of the England team,
Thomas Tuckle, the coach. They're blaming him for his tactics
and going too defensive too quickly after scoring the goal.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
Is it fair?

Speaker 2 (00:32):
I think partly? But look, I think Tukele is smart
enough to realize that if they kept going toe to
toe with Argentina that were going to get ripped open
like a can of sardines. So he may have gone
a little bit too early with the defensive tactics. But look,
the one thing you know, I'm Irish, but I've been here,
been here twice as long as I've lived in Ireland,
and i know a lot of the lads who play
for England, and I've watched a lot of England games

(00:53):
over the years. The one thing I think this morning
that they can have pride in is the fact that
there's no big marriage don a handball situation, terrible refereeing situation,
Beckham getting sent off situation, fair and square, they were
beaten by a better team.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
How did the English feel about the Benner?

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Not good? I'll be honest. It's a very very sensitive thing.
Obviously there was there was a huge loss of Argentinian
life in nineteen eighty two in the Falklands War, and
equally many many British servicemen and women lost their lives
in that war as well. So it's a very sensitive situation,
but again entirely predictable that Argentinian players would do this.

(01:32):
You know, they call the Falklands las Malvinus and they're
saying that they are ours. What will happen now is
if FIFA have any backbone, they will get involved, because
you're not supposed to have political gestures at a soccer match.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
Now, question for you, because I've been watching Harry Kane
and as you say, you know everybody in the squad anyway,
I've been watching Harry Kane throughout this is he as
much of a sourpuss as he looks to be, No,
not at all.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
He's just a very professional guy and when he's playing
soccer and when he's doing interviews, it's his he's good,
he's fun. He has a lot of holidays in the
West of Ireland where his dad's from. His dad's from
County Mayo, Heart of Gold. Harry Kane has and I
started running marathons. My mother got breast cancer and I
kind of made a deal with God that if she
got through that I'd raise an awful lot of money

(02:16):
for breast cancer. And I approached Harry and I asked
for a few jerseys. I've been having jerseys ever since
signed Penance. Yeah, he's helped me raise tens of thousands
of dollars for breast cancer research in Ireland in England.

Speaker 1 (02:30):
Oh, I'm glad you told me that, because I looked
at him and thought and that doesn't look like a
fun guy. So I'm I'm glad to hear that.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
Now.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
Listen Andy Burnham coming in and saying he may have
to raise Texas. This is going to get him off
to a bed start, isn't it.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
It is if he does this. Look at all of
this speculation in the papers. We don't know what he's
going to do because there was no manifesto. We don't
know what his policies are But yes, this topic keeps
rearing its head again. Tax to wealth taxes, the rich
are going to have to pay more. The rich, you're
all leaving. They've all gone to Milan. The Italians are
hoovering rich people up. The Italian government now has a

(03:03):
policy where if you pay two hundred thousand euros a
year just as a one off tax, they don't want
to know what else you're earning anywhere else in the world.
So the rich are relocating themselves two hours flight away
to Milan, where property is cheaper than London, the wine
is better, the food is better, and the weather is better.
So I think if Andy Barnham pushes ahead and keeps
destroying the wealthy with taxes, there's going to be tumbleweed

(03:26):
left here.

Speaker 1 (03:26):
Yeah too, right, And who's he decided on for his chancellor.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
So it looks like the Home Secretary, Shabana Mamood will
become the next chancellor or financial finance minister. Basically there
have been whispers that Ed Miliband would be given that gig.
Now the American administration do not like Ed Miliband. They
see him as the big blocker. He's pro net zero
he's the one stopping drilling in the North Sea for

(03:50):
oil and gas. So I think the Americans have made
it clear. Certainly Trump has to Burnham's people that if
you put ed Miliband in his chancellor, you can forget it.
So it looks like Shaban and my mood will come in.
But look, we'll know an awful lot more. Monday is
the day Starmer says goodbye. On Monday, he'll go visit
the King, formally resign and then invite Charles will invite
Andy Burnham to form the next British government.

Speaker 1 (04:12):
It's uncomfortable that the US is calling the shots here,
but it's probably a bit of decision. Inda. Thank you
very much mate. Look after yourself. Inda Brady UK, corresponding.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
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