Pom in Oz with Derek Goforth: After sleepless nights the disappointment is real after England’s World Cup exit

It’s 5.30am as I write this.

Like millions of England supporters around the world, I’ve just watched another World Cup dream end. This time, it was Argentina standing in the way.

The disappointment is real.

Not just because we lost, but because for the first time in a long time, I genuinely believed this team could go all the way.

I left England in 2009 and have only been back once.

People often ask if I miss it. Truthfully, I don’t. Australia is home now. I’ve built a life here, raised my family here and wouldn’t swap the sunshine and lifestyle of Western Australia for the grey skies, crowds and chaos I left behind.

For 99 per cent of the time, England barely crosses my mind.

Then the World Cup comes around. Every four years, something changes.

Suddenly I’m setting the alarm for ridiculous hours, wearing my England shirt and living every pass, tackle and shot as though I’m still sitting in my local back home.

That’s what I miss. Not England itself, but England during a World Cup.

The packed pubs. The songs. The nervous laughter before kick-off. Complete strangers hugging after a goal. An entire nation sharing the same hope. Watching from Australia just isn’t the same. When the final whistle blows here, everyone simply gets on with their day. Back home, the whole country lives every minute together.

This tournament felt different.

Harry Kane led brilliantly, Jude Bellingham continues to prove he’s one of the best footballers on the planet and this young squad played with maturity, confidence and togetherness. There were no egos, no drama, just a group of players who genuinely looked proud to wear the England shirt.

Thomas Tuchel deserves enormous credit too. He has brought belief back to the national team, something England supporters have spent decades searching for.

It wasn’t enough this morning. Argentina was better when it mattered most, and that’s football.

But unlike so many previous exits, this one doesn’t leave me feeling empty. It leaves me feeling optimistic.

This squad is young. They’re improving. They’ll learn from this, and most of them should still be together for years to come.

So yes, I’m disappointed. I’m tired after another sleepless night.

And I’m already wondering if football will ever come home. But if there’s one thing England supporters are good at, it’s believing that the next tournament might finally be our time.

I’ve called Australia home for 17 years now. I am Aussie, I am true blue. I’ve got red dust in my veins.

Yet every four years, for just a few weeks, a little part of me is English all over again.

Derek Goforth is an expat and father of three living and working in Geraldton.