Some people were on the pitch. They thought it was all over. It was then, when Lionel Messi crossed, when Lautaro Martinez headed, when the Argentina substitutes charged towards the corner flag to celebrate. England’s bid to win the World Cup was over. Sixty years of hurt, 60 years since Hurst, England still see that tackle by Moore and Nobby dancing.
But it remains the case that the only time their men won a World Cup semi-final was when Bobby belted the ball; they have not reached a final since. For half an hour, it seemed that Anthony Gordon would join Bobby Charlton in a select band of England players to score the winner in this stage. For a quarter of an hour, it seemed like Bobby Moore’s tackle on Pele would be accompanied by mentions of Djed Spence’s thunderous challenge to prevent Giuliano Simeone from shooting.
