England's most heartbreaking World Cup exits ranked

After Anthony Gordon put the Three Lions ahead against La Seleccion, it seemed that Thomas Tuchel's men would at least take the game to extra time, but then they did what they always seem to do in the latter stages of a major tournament.

It is never easy to deal with the pain of a World Cup exit, but it feels as though the Three Lions have endured more than most on the grandest stage.

Which eliminations have been the most heartbreaking? Here, DAZN News ranks England's five most painful exits.

1998: Argentina inflict penalty heartbreak

Yes, why not start with Argentina, a side that seems to know how to inflict the most misery on England.

The clash between the two nations produced theatrics, with Michael Owen announcing himself on the international stage with a sublime solo goal.

However, David Beckham paid the price for kicking out at Diego Simeone, with the midfielder given his marching orders.

After a 2-2 draw, the Three Lions' penalty curse continued, with Paul Ince and David Batty the unfortunate men to miss their spot kicks.

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1986: Diego Maradona produces five minutes of mayhem

Diego Maradona is one of football's all-time marvels, and it is why he is hailed as a god in his native Argentina.

In a game that was closely fought, the little magician popped up to handle the ball past England captain Peter Shilton, disguising it in a way that eluded the officials.

Then, just minutes later, Maradona produced a dazzling run, dancing past the Three Lions' players like manikins before feinting over Shilton.

Gary Lineker's goal was only a consolation as the rivalry between the two countries reached fever pitch.

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2018: England lose grip in semi-final clash

Scoring so early is often detrimental, with teams sitting back to protect a lead for a prolonged period.

In the 2018 World Cup, that was certainly the case after Kieran Trippier's long-range free-kick put England into the lead against Croatia after just five minutes.

The Three Lions held firm until the 68th minute when Ivan Perisic levelled, taking the game into extra time.

It had been 18 years since England had reached this point of the tournament, and the pressure told when Mario Mandzukic fired his country to a 2-1 victory.

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1990: The birth of England's penalty curse

England matched a strong West Germany side for 90 minutes in the World Cup semi-final, with Lineker finding the equalising goal in the 81st minute to take the game to extra time.

This was the furthest the Three Lions had been since their only triumph in 1966, but they would have to rely on penalties to get through.

Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle were the unfortunate ones on this occasion, with West Germany going on to win the tournament after their 4-3 penalty shootout victory.

A crying Paul Gascoigne became the defining image of the World Cup for England in a defeat that hurt in so many ways.

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2026: England throw in the towel against Argentina

England entered the final six minutes of normal time with a 1-0 lead courtesy of Anthony Gordon's neat finish, but somehow managed to lose within normal time.

In truth, La Seleccion were mounting pressure on the Three Lions for a prolonged period, with Alexis MacAllister striking the post twice before Enzo Fernandez's equaliser.

Thomas Tuchel's men continued to sit back, with his substitutions further influencing this approach, bringing on a host of defenders to see the game out.

In the 92nd minute, Lautaro Martinez rose amongst England's congested penalty area to head his country into the lead and a second successive World Cup final.

Why did this one hurt the most? England led with so little time remaining, and it feels like the team threw away such a rare opportunity to reach the final that has eluded them for so long.

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