England players have arrived back in the UK a day after their World Cup campaign ended in heartbreak after their 2-1 loss to France.
The Three Lions landed back in the country today as they returned from Qatar after agonisingly falling short against the reigning champions.
Despite dominating parts of the match, captain Harry Kane missed a decisive penalty that could have drawn them level during the 90 minutes.
The players returned today ahead of joining back up with their clubs when the season gets back underway after Christmas.
A plane carrying Gareth Southgate's squad landed at Birmingham Airport this evening after it departed from Qatar earlier today.
Teenage sensation Jude Bellingham was seen giving the thumbs up to fans as he departed the airport afterwards.
England's Jude Bellingham gives his thumbs up as he leaves Birmingham Airport on Sunday night
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford walks down the stairs as he exits the plane at Birmingham Airport tonight
Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips looks down leaves the plane after it landed at Birmingham Airport tonight
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher looks back up the stairs into the plane after it lands at Birmingham Airport tonight
A plane carrying the England squad landed at Birmingham Airport on Sunday night, December 11
The players were seen walking off the plane earlier this evening as they return from another agonising World Cup loss
While many players will go straight back to playing for their clubs after a short Christmas break, Southgate has said he needs time to reflect on last nights loss to determine whether he will continue as manager.
His contract runs until after Euro 2024.
'These tournaments take a lot out of you and I need time to reflect,' he told the BBC.
'We've done that after every tournament and that's the right thing to do.'
Speaking before their flight out of the country and as they were leaving their Al Wakrah training base, Southgate said the players were 'flat'.
'We were so close,' Southgate said on England's YouTube channel.
England's Harry Kane looks dejected at the final whistle after his sides 2-1 loss to France in the World Cup quarter finals
'The level of performance, I was so happy with. There's the disappointment that we feel we could have gone on, and done more. And yet, I really have very few regrets about the whole thing. Emotionally, it's a rollercoaster.'
'They know they played well,' he said, speaking about his players. 'In sport, it feels so binary, winning and losing. But when you're coaching a team, and working with a team, you have to take a different view to that.'
He hailed the progression of the group, and as individuals, including those who have remained on the fringes of the first-team.
'We've now got some very young players with a lot of big match experience already,' the 52-year-old said. 'The core of the group can be together for a long while.'
More to follow...
English (United States) ·