England vs USA: Phil Neville reveals message to Lionesses after World Cup semi-final defeat

Neville remained optimistic despite third successive semi-final defeat

Phil Neville told his England players to show him smiles rather than tears after their dramatic exit from the Women’s World Cup.

England’s hopes of being crowned world champions were ended at the semi-final stage by the United States in Lyon on Tuesday night.

Steph Houghton missed a late penalty which would likely have forced extra time, but saw her tame effort saved by goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.

Alex Morgan’s first-half header was ultimately enough for the US to win 2-1, after Ellen White had cancelled out Christen Press’ opener.

At one stage, White briefly thought she had equalised for a second time, only for the goal to be overturned by VAR for a marginal offside.

England would finish with only 10 players too, with Millie Bright sent off late on for second bookable offence.

Neville held a post-match huddle out on the pitch, where he told his players to keep their heads held high despite yet another semi-final disappointment.

“I didn’t want to see tears,” he said. “You lose, but I thought the way we lost is exactly the way I wanted us to play.

“The courage they had to play football and keep going and battle – they left everything out there. We have no regrets. We’ve come to the World Cup and given it our absolute all, and that’s what I said to them.

“I didn’t want to see tears – there should be smiles. We’ve had best 46 days of our life and it’s not ended yet.

“I can’t say to my players at the end unlucky, because they don’t want to hear that, they wanted to win.

“That tells me we are closer than we have ever been. Maybe in the past we’ve accepted ‘semi-final, we’re going home and we’ll get plaudits’.

“But my players don’t want to hear that any more. They’re sick of it, and so am I. We came here to win and we didn’t do that.”

England will not travel home yet, as they must fulfill their duties in a third-place playoff in Nice on Saturday.

Neville’s side will play either the Netherlands or Sweden, who contest the second semi-final in Lyon on Wednesday night.

“I think we’ll have to allow 24 to 48 hours for this to sink in, for them to get over the disappointment. No words I can say to them tonight will make them feel better.

“But elite sport means that on Saturday in Nice we have to go out there and produce a performance. It will tell me a lot about what my players are about.”