Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

England arrive home after World Cup exit watched by 20.4m TV audience

England arrive home after World Cup exit watched by 20.4m TV audience

The Three Lions are home from Qatar following Saturday night’s 2-1 quarter-final defeat to France

England’s World Cup players arrived home from Qatar on Sunday as it was revealed an average audience of 20.4 million TV viewers watched their heartbreaking defeat to world champions France in a blockbuster quarter-final clash.

They touched down at Birmingham airport on Sunday evening after they crashed out of the tournament.

The World Cup match on ITV, which saw Harry Kane miss a late penalty in a 2-1 quarter-final exit, was the most-watched programme across all TV channels this year, the broadcaster said.

ITV said the game drew the highest average TV audience of the tournament, surpassing England’s round-of-16 match against Senegal which was watched by an average of 18.4m with 13.4m watching the whole coverage.


England manager Gareth Southgate (left) and Kieran Trippier outside the Souq Al-Wakra hotel.

An average of 20.4 million people watched the match on all viewing devices, with 15.8 million watching the whole coverage.

In comparison, England’s group match against the United States was watched on ITV by an average of 15.1m people, with 11.9m watching the whole coverage.

Having reached the semi-finals in 2018 and finished as runners-up at last year’s European Championship, England were hoping to fight Morocco in the semi-finals.

The game saw England fall behind for the first time in Qatar after Aurelien Tchouameni’s early thunderbolt, only for Kane to level from the spot and equal Wayne Rooney’s all-time record of 53 goals for the national team.

Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving the team hotel.


France’s all-time record goal scorer Olivier Giroud restored Les Bleus’ lead which proved to be the winner after Harry Kane missed a late penalty ending in a 2-1 quarter-final exit.

Manager Gareth Southgate is contracted until the next European Championship in 2024 but on Sunday evening dropped the biggest hint yet that he is considering walking away from the job.

England began their journey home on Sunday morning. Jack Grealish, Harry Maguire, Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold were among the first seen departing their Qatar base.

Southgate gave a hug to Kieran Trippier and thanked those working with the team during their 26-day stay at Souq Al Wakra before boarding the staff coach for the airport.

Jude Bellingham signed autographs for fans.


Jude Bellingham signed autographs for fans before getting onto the main players' coach. Flanked by police, the two coaches headed to Doha Airport at 12.35pm local time to catch a flight bound for Birmingham.

Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham was on the staff coach having expressed pride at the team’s efforts.

“Like all England fans we feel the pain of losing a quarter-final, along with the coaches, players and support team who are hurting this morning,” he said in a statement.

“Gareth and Steve (Holland) prepared the team exceptionally well throughout the tournament. The players were committed to winning the trophy and were very well led by Harry Kane.

“But sport can have fine margins and on the day, against the current world champions, it was not to be.

“This is a very exciting young English squad and, despite the intense disappointment of last night, they should be very proud of their performances in Qatar.

“We are incredibly proud of Gareth, the players, the coaches and the support team and appreciate all the hard work they put in.”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
S.E.C. Sues Elon Musk Over Alleged Twitter-Related Securities Violations
France Urges EU to Act on Musk's Political Influence as Tensions Rise
Controversial Release Culminates in Severe Budapest Collision: The Freeing of a Convicted Human Trafficker
Rising Concerns: The Impact of Synthetic Chemicals on Global Child Health
Massive Cyberattack Disrupts Slovakia's Land Registry System
Elon Musk Praises German Far-Right Figure Alice Weidel in Controversial Live Discussion
Italian Mayor Strives to Halt Sale of Historic Neapolitan Islet
Unprecedented Sanctions Levied on Hungarian Handball Team After On-Field Protest
Raging Wildfires Devastate Los Angeles Region
Tragedy Strikes Montenegro as Shooting Toll Rises to Thirteen
Police Investigation Intensifies Around Hungarian Musician Delhusa Gjon
Hollywood at a Standstill: Wildfires Bring Film Industry to a Halt
Pentagon Issues Stark Warning Amid Escalating U.S.-Russia Tensions
Elon Musk's Global Political Maneuvering Causes Ripples Across Europe
Elon Musk Engages European Leaders in a War of Words
Toxic Strychnine Envelopes Sent to Belgian Prime Minister Unveiled
Elon Musk Sparks Debate with Praise for Germany's Far-Right AfD Leader on Social Media
California Wildfires Set to Become Costliest in U.S. History
Financial Woes Force SCM Gloria Buzău to Withdraw from Romanian Handball Championship
A Nation Mourns: The State Funeral of Former President Jimmy Carter
A Farewell to Jimmy Carter: A Nation Bids Goodbye to a Former President
Unprecedented Sanctions on Mosonmagyaróvári Players for On-field Protest
Hollywood Stars Flee as Wildfires Rage in Los Angeles
Raging Wildfires in Los Angeles: A Heartwarming Tale Amidst Tragedy
Ravaging Flames: The Human Stories Behind the California Wildfires
Wildfires Threaten LeBron James' $23 Million Mansion in Los Angeles
Teenager Fatally Stabbed at Bedford Bus Station
Tragedy Strikes in Bedford: Teenager Fatally Stabbed at Bus Station
Devastating Wildfires Scorch Los Angeles: Paris Hilton's Home Reduced to Ashes
Tragic Incident in Hungary: Sixty-Year-Old Man Confesses to Killing Wife
Tragic Incident in Fót: Man Arrested for the Murder of His Wife
Released Human Trafficker Crashes into Family Car in Buda
Delhusa Gjon: Police Investigation Intensifies Amid Alleged Misconduct
Water Shortages Hamper Efforts as Los Angeles Wildfire Claims More Lives
Santa Ana Winds Fuel Ferocious Wildfires in Los Angeles
Desert Winds Ignite Vast Wildfires Across Los Angeles
Devastating Wildfires Ravage Los Angeles: Smoke Chokes and Homes Turn to Ash
Mass Layoffs Announced at Budapest's Marketing Firm amid Budget Cuts
Honoring a Legacy: Jimmy Carter's State Funeral Unites Past and Present Leaders
Former Presidents Reunite at Jimmy Carter's State Funeral
Pentagon Issues Dire Warning on Russia Amid Heightened Global Tensions
Legal and Political Challenges Surrounding Donald Trump Intensify
Hungarian Minister Sanctioned: A Surprise Move by the United States
Raging Wildfires in Los Angeles Claim Prominent Hollywood Homes
Elon Musk's Increasing Influence on European Politics Sparks Controversy
Formerly Convicted Human Trafficker Involved in Serious Accident in Budapest
Meta's Policy Shift Mirrors Trump's Views, Claims Whistleblower Frances Haugen
Frances Haugen Criticizes Meta's Shift in Content Moderation under Trump's Influence
Elon Musk Fuels Tensions with European Leaders Amidst Digital Regulation Clashes
Russian Glide Bomb Assault on Zaporizhzhia Claims 13 Lives
×