England legend Alan Shearer has admitted the heartbreak of France 98 still haunts him, 28 years on from that infamous defeat to Argentina.
Shearer was captain when England were eliminated on penalties in Saint-Etienne, a night that remains one of the most talked-about in English football history.
“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,” Shearer recalled with evident emotion.
He insists the pain is sharpened by the belief that England had an exceptional squad that year, one capable of making a real mark on the world stage.
England now stand two wins away from immortality, with Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta kicking off at 20:00 BST.
Shearer feels the occasion carries extra weight because of the deep historical rivalry between the two nations, stretching back through the controversies of 1986 and 1998.
Adding further intrigue is the presence of Lionel Messi, who Shearer describes as “arguably the greatest player of all time” and who has never previously faced England in competition.
“There is something special about playing them at a World Cup,” Shearer said, pointing to the drama and controversy that has defined this fixture across the decades.
Shearer warned that Wednesday’s match carries the same volatile potential as that unforgettable night in Saint-Etienne, where David Beckham was sent off and Sol Campbell had a goal disallowed.
“I would not be surprised at all if we saw another red card this time too,” he said, urging England’s players to keep their composure throughout the contest.
He also raised concerns about officiating consistency, noting that some puzzling VAR decisions have been made during the tournament, including one that controversially ruled out Egypt’s goal against Argentina in the last 16.
“The one that ruled out Egypt’s goal against them in the last 16, because of a foul at the other end of the pitch, was just astonishing,” Shearer said bluntly.
Despite Argentina being defending champions, Shearer believes they are not as strong as the side that lifted the trophy four years ago, though he acknowledges their streetwise experience remains a threat.
He identified Messi as the central figure England must manage, suggesting using Djed Spence in a man-marking role is one option, though he expects England to maintain the same shape used across their previous six games.
Shearer was full of praise for Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, noting that Bellingham has matched Messi’s four player-of-the-match awards across the tournament so far.
“Like Messi, Bellingham has won four man-of-the-match awards — or Superior Player of the Match as Fifa likes to call them — so far, which is incredible,” he said.
He is backing England to progress but is not expecting anything close to a comfortable evening at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
“My message to the viewers back home would be strap yourself in — it could be a wonderful evening for us all, but it will definitely be a bumpy ride,” Shearer added.
Shearer will be co-commentating alongside Guy Mowbray on what promises to be a landmark night in English football history.
His overriding message to England’s players is simple: make sure they are not still reflecting on what might have been 28 years from now.
