I still feel pain of '98 but this can be different for England - Shearer
Former England captain Alan Shearer reflects on the emotional weight of past World Cup defeats against Argentina. He expresses optimism for the current England squad as they prepare for a high-stakes semi-final match against Lionel Messi's Argentina.
Why it matters
The article captures the cultural significance of international football rivalries and the immense pressure on national teams during major tournaments.
Published 31 minutes ago It is 28 years since Argentina ended my World Cup dream at France '98 - and it still hurts now.
I can still picture their players dancing and celebrating next to us as both teams waited to get on their buses after our epic last-16 tie. We had come so close to beating them , but we fell on the wrong side of a penalty shootout, and we were going home.
I was captain and it was tough to take, not just personally but because we had an outstanding team and I felt we had an opportunity at that tournament to make a real statement on the world stage.
I feel the same way about this England side now as they prepare for Wednesday's semi-final in Atlanta (20:00 BST), with a chance to change their lives forever.
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