England World Cup squad earns mixed reviews after semifinal exit
What's new: Marc Guehi, Jude Bellingham and Djed Spence drew the strongest praise, while injuries and a red card hurt England's campaign.
Post-tournament player ratings from BBC Sport and the Guardian painted a mixed picture of England's 2026 World Cup run after Thomas Tuchel's side fell to Argentina in the semifinals. Both outlets rated Marc Guehi among England's steadiest defenders and praised Djed Spence for emerging as one of the squad's breakout performers. Jude Bellingham also stood out for his influence in key moments. The reviews were less forgiving of players whose tournaments were disrupted, including Reece James after a hamstring injury and Jarell Quansah, who was sent off against Mexico. England still finished with a win in the third-place playoff, capping its deepest World Cup showing in decades.