Losing to Croatia v Not beating those utter ***** Middlesbrough

[Hugo Rune]

I still get angry about Boro.

Can’t fault what happened last night - best team won. No need to get down, 3rd best World Cup ever!

[Green Cross Code Man]

Years back I'd have felt pain, anguish and a terrible gnawing feeling that wouldn't have gone away for weeks. After Italia 90 and Euro 96, I was completely devastated. However, the attitude of some of our prima donnas in past campaigns and their poor displays, has somehow caused the care to leech away. I don't feel bad this morning at all. This England team has restored my pride in the national team and I am very disappointed they lost. But the Middlesbrough game? No, that ruined my summer and Autumn.

[Kalimantan Gull]

I didn't expect us to win the Middlesbrough game, but it was the injustice of it all that still rankles today. Last night I did expect to win, but the second half got very hard for us and just wish we could have seen it over the line. I'm feeling fairly calm today, disappointed but not angry or upset. But as others have said, if not now, when? What is it actually like to get to a WC final? Are we ever going to experience that? I was 16 in 1990, and I can't get my head round the idea that 1990 was closer to '66 than to today.

But here's my confident prediction. That side last night will provide many players for the England team for years to come, but the real stars will be the likes of Phil Foden and others from the U18 / U20 starlets. There is a lot of special talent coming through.

[essbee1]

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The injustice of Boro was harder to deal with, but we used it to our advantage the following season. I hope England use the pain they feel now to motivate them for Euro 2020.

I like this. Positive and so true.

[big nuts]

The Palace Semi-Final was worse than both.

[Geestar]

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The Palace Semi-Final was worse than both.

Yes!!!

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[Gazwag]

England losing is no where near as gutting at all those play off semi final defeats or Boro.

Likewise if England won the world cup ever again it would never be as good as Wigan at home

[forumwayseagull]

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The Palace Semi-Final was worse than both.

I still cannot get over that night...rarely talk about that one....much much worse than last night..

[Brovion]

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Not quite, as the Turkish referee didn't get a lot wrong tonight.

I think we will learn from this and get stronger, so there is that analogy.

I hope so. After Middlesborough and then the play-off defeat I really thought we'd blown our chance to get into the PL. I thought that the traditional 'big' teams would rebuild and wouldn't be so bad again, and consequently we'd have to settle for being a good 2nd tier club. Obviously I was wrong. Hopefully we (England) will get stronger and we won't live to regret the fact that at this World Cup the cards got dealt in our favour but we couldn't find a winning hand.

[ManOfSussex]

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Years back I'd have felt pain, anguish and a terrible gnawing feeling that wouldn't have gone away for weeks. After Italia 90 and Euro 96, I was completely devastated. However, the attitude of some of our prima donnas in past campaigns and their poor displays, has somehow caused the care to leech away. I don't feel bad this morning at all. This England team has restored my pride in the national team and I am very disappointed they lost. But the Middlesbrough game? No, that ruined my summer and Autumn.

This. No tears or hurt last night like Italia 90 or Euro 96 - just pride, unexpected pride - we've equalled the best we've ever done since 1966, couldn't have done anymore and the best team won. Unlike in Italia 90, we're currently World U 17 & U 20 Champions and something is genuinely happening in our national team, there wont be retirements and changes ending up with Carlton Palmer and Andy Sinton in the starting XI in 2 years time this time.

Hold your head up high this morning, we're English and it feels good. One way or the other, I haven't felt that for a while.