Liam Gallagher on England's World Cup Exit: "Let the Lads Off the Leash"
England were knocked out of the 2026 World Cup in the semifinals, losing 1-2 to Argentina. Liam Gallagher posted twice on X on July 16, 2026 (Taiwan time), paying tribute to the players while taking aim at England's tactical approach. The match was played in Atlanta, Georgia. Anthony Gordon put England ahead in the 55th minute, but Enzo Fernandez equalized five minutes from time, and Lautaro Martinez headed in the winner in the 9th minute of stoppage time.
Gallagher's reaction
Gallagher wrote on X: "Respect to those lads, winning the World Cup isn't anyone's birthright. Congrats Argentina, best team won, onwards." He followed up saying England need to be "smarter on the pitch, and that includes the coaching staff," arguing the current tactics are overly technical and that players should be "let off the leash."
Manager Thomas Tuchel said in his post-match interview that he had no regrets about his substitutions or tactics, though criticism from outside the camp has continued.
"Wonderwall": the tournament's accidental anthem
Throughout the 2026 World Cup, Oasis's 1995 classic "Wonderwall" unexpectedly became England's unofficial terrace song. After wins over Croatia, DR Congo, Mexico, and Norway, Harry Kane led fans in singing it. The celebrations after the Mexico match were especially raucous — Kane reportedly lost his voice from singing so hard, and Jordan Henderson sprained his wrist rushing to join the singing circle.
Noel Gallagher publicly backed "Wonderwall" as England's tournament anthem, saying the song "belongs to the people," and joked he "can't believe Jude Bellingham actually knows the words." According to Spotify data, UK streams of the song surged 50% during the World Cup. Liam himself said he'd be willing to fly to New York to perform live if England reached the final.
England will next face France for third place on Saturday, July 18, 2026. The final is set for Sunday, July 19, 2026, pitting Argentina against Spain. This year's final will feature a Super Bowl-style halftime show for the first time, curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, with a lineup including Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, and BTS.