Three Lions fans across the nation were crying into their beers last night as Harry Kane ’s penalty miss spelt heartbreak.
Some six million packed out pubs, sports bars and social clubs to roar on Southgate ’s men.
Up and down the land fans draped themselves in the flag of St George or wore ‘It’s Coming Ho-Ho-Home’ Christmas jumpers as they belted out God Save The King.
And were still fuming at a string of calls by Brazilian ref Wilton Sampiao.
Our hordes included more than 7,000 in the Road to Victory fanzone in Manchester.
Among them was Steve McConnell, from Doncaster, South Yorks, who said: “I thought they were going to do it after Kane equalised, but that should have been our second penalty.
“In the first half neither team was great. The decisions just didn’t seem to go England’s way.
“The ref was hopeless. It was a foul before they scored, then he didn’t give the penalty. It’s always like this in the big competitions.”
Liverpool fan Mark Hamilton, who lives in Manchester, said: “It was a great effort. They were both rubbish in the first half, maybe Jordan Pickford could have saved their goal.
“In the second half England went for it. They were the better team a lot of the game.”
Man United fan Darren Durkin, from Altrincham, said: “Gutted. They didn’t deserve that. In the second half they were battering them.
"All France could do was kick us. You wouldn’t know Mbappe was on the pitch. It’s really disappointing, they didn’t deserve that.”
In Newcastle, almost 1,500 piled in to a sell-out fans’ tent.
Three Lions supporters had sunk more than 9,000 pints by the end of the action - in addition to 2,000 cans of lager and 20 bottles of Jagermeister.
By the end of the night they were drowning their sorrows.
Trainee surveyor Lewis Johnson, 18, from Blyth, Northumberland, said: “I am devastated. We will never have a better chance to win a World Cup.”
Referee Sampaio’s controversial decisions led to lagers being hurled in frustration.
Replays of a seemingly clear foul on forward Bukayo Saka ahead of France’s opening goal also brought gasps of exasperation from nervous England fans.
Zone manager Tom Brodie, 28, said: “We ordered in extra beer especially for the game - most of it has been spilled on the floor.
“We’d already sold more than 3,000 pints before the game had even started.
“Everyone is just gutted the ride has come to an end. It could have been our year,”
Hundreds had already secured their spots as Portugal trailed to Morocco in the day’s 3pm kick off.
VIP tables - priced at £140 each - were snapped up as soon as England brushed away Senegal in the last-16.
Wearing England shirts and St George hats, student Tom Baker, 19, said: “England winning the World Cup would have been the best Christmas present ever. But the boys are still heroes.”
Fans chants included: “ Harry Maguire! Harry Maguire! He drinks the vodka He drinks the Jäger His head’s f*****g massive!”.
Fans also sang out the Atomic Kitten’s reworked hit Whole Again to salute boss Gareth Southgate.
And supporters, wary of still being hungover come Monday, chanted: “Please don’t take me home, I just don’t want to go to work.
“I want to stay here and drink all the beer.”
Experts reckon England’s quarter final appearance led to £222.5m being spent - with World Cup spending across the quarter finals to hit £281m across the four games.
Analysts said the last eight matches boosted retail spending by £182.3m, £23.5m on sportswear, and new TVs, and £19.7m spent on souvenirs and another £98m spent in pubs across the four games.
The World Cup 2022 Spending Report by VoucherCodes.co.uk predicted that 27.7 million supporters around the UK tuned into the game, with 6.4m watching from pubs and bars.
Beer sales were projected to earn struggling pubs a £22m shot in the arm.
