This weekend’s big final pits Argentina against France, with the majority of England fans looking on with more than a fleeting hint of ‘that could really have been us’ in their thoughts, but such is the nature of international football that the wait for success continues for the three lions.
Carlisle boss Paul Simpson has made no secret of the fact that he’s a huge fan of anything to do with the country and sport, and he shared the disappointment of the exit at the hands of France, who have now gone on to feature in the showcase event.
“Unfortunately in football, and especially at the highest level, you’re talking about really small margins,” he said. “Everybody talks about Harry Kane with the penalty, and should the referee have given a foul in the build up to the goal, and this and that, but they’re all ifs and buts.
“Harry’s record from penalties is unbelievable but you know that every penalty taker is going to miss one at some point. Unfortunately it just happened to be in that game.
“I thought they did well, but I don’t think they did enough to win the game, but I also don’t think they deserved to lose it. It’s just that really fine margin that turns a game on its head and you’ve just got to get on with it.
“The sad thing about international football is they don’t get another chance to put it right for another four years. We’re lucky in what we do that our games come thick and fast - as long as the weather is kind to you.”
“We’d made a bit of a night of it as well,” he revealed. “We, myself and Jacqui, invited all the staff and their partners over to our house on Saturday night, we planned it as a thank you for their work to do some food and a drink for everybody.
“It just happened that the England game was on the TVs in the house so we all watched that. There was a big anti-climax at the end, apart from for Ross, our Scottish physio, he was the only one who wasn’t disappointed, but they’ve had another Christmas or summer off anyway as Scotland normally do!
“It was really disappointing but I do think we performed very well against a good team.”
One of the big debates is whether or not star player Kane should have taken the second spot kick, having already won a battle of wills with the first.
But do any of the players out on the pitch get a say in it?
“I think with Harry Kane’s record, probably not,” he commented. “He has been so good and he really backs himself.
“I’ve got to say that when he walked up for the first one I was worried, because it was Hugo Lloris in nets and he would have faced Harry several times in training.
“One thing I picked up when it came to preparing for penalty shootouts is that they’re more beneficial for the keeper than they are for outfield players. They see little things, and Hugo will have had that with Harry.
“When he smashed the first one in it was a case of - I don’t know why I wasted my time thinking about it. I didn’t really think it for the second one, but I don’t know what was going through his head.
“He obviously tried that little bit harder and put more power on it. You could look at all sorts of coaching points on his technique and things like that, but it’s just one of those things.
“I feel sorry for him because he’s been outstanding for England, but I feel for them all really. They were so close, and it’s so far away to get another opportunity now.”
On what he’d said to Gareth Southgate, he told us: “I can’t remember exactly what I said but I did text him to tell him I was gutted for them all and that I thought they were so close, but so far away.
“I said to him to go and enjoy some time with his family. I don’t think he can have many regrets about it, I thought the decisions he made were right and I thought his substitutions were right.
“There was criticism in the game he put Jordan Henderson on as a sub, but there was a reason and it was effective. The subs he made in all of the games were effective, it’s just all down to fine margins and if you fall the wrong side of them, you go out of the competition and go home.
“I hope he stays. He’s done an incredible job in the five or six years as the senior manager, 11 years at the FA. I just think the work that him, started by Dan and Gareth, has changed the whole environment of that England set-up.
“I hope he stays and I hope he’s able to enjoy it and bring a trophy back at some point for us.”
And he revealed that his interest in the competition is now more of the passing variety.
“I’m going to be really honest with you, I don’t actually give a monkey’s who wins it now,” he insisted. “I watched both semi-finals, but I’m really not bothered now.
“Whatever happens in the World Cup won’t affect Carlisle United, all I’m bothered about it making sure we’re ready. I watched the games on the TV but I had my laptop on watching Northampton against Tranmere and against Bradford, so it was just background noise.
“The main thing is for us to get results, but I might watch the final on Sunday.”