Jude Bellingham has called for a measured response to another "heartbreaking" Euro 2024 final defeat, but admitted it is now down to England's players to deliver on their promise.
For the second time in three years, England missed out on the chance to end the nation's long wait for a first men's tournament success since 1966, following up their Euro 2020 defeat to Italy with a 2-1 loss against Spain here in the German capital.
Spain led through Nico Williams' strike soon after half-time, but substitute Cole Palmer looked to have inspired yet another comeback with his equaliser, only for Mikel Oyarzabal to poke home the winner four minutes out from extra-time.
"To lose in that way is really cruel," midfielder Bellingham said. "We probably didn't play our best game, but there were good moments. We felt like we got back into the game, and then to be punched with the late goal is heartbreaking.
“We all wanted to make history, to make the people of England proud. We didn't manage to do it, we couldn't quite deliver."
Aged just 21, Bellingham has now been part of back-to-back European Championship Final defeats, as well as the narrow quarter-final exit to France at the last World Cup.
England also have a World Cup semi-final appearance in 2018 to show for what, under Gareth Southgate, has been an unprecedented eight-year period of tournament success, but their run without a major trophy will have spanned 60 years by the time the next World Cup begins in the USA, Canada and Mexico in 2026.
"It's a young group still," Bellingham said. "It's really disappointing, because at some point we do have to deliver, but there are experiences and things we can take from this tournament. If you look at everything negatively, nothing will ever change. It's important we take the positives and negatives and find a way to one day get us over the line."
It's really disappointing, because at some point we do have to deliver
While the vast majority of the squad will still be around in two years' time, it remains to be seen whether Southgate remains in post, with the 53-year-old set to make a decision on his future in the coming days.
Despite reaching the final, England's performances have been largely unconvincing, and Real Madrid star Bellingham says the dust must be allowed to settle before dissecting where the pre-tournament favourites went wrong.
"We came here to win," he added. "There are experiences we can take going into the next one, so I suppose you could say that's kind of some solace, but it's really difficult to see those moments as as important as they [would have been] had we won.
"You probably need a bit more time to digest it and analyse it. We'll do that as a team and individually, look over how it went and bounce back. It's a young team with a lot of potential. I know people will be frustrated that we haven't delivered, but I definitely feel it's coming."
A "devastated" Southgate accepted that England "fell short" again, but said: "The team have done the country proud. To lose a final is incredibly tough. Our players have been incredible, they've given everybody some incredible nights, they couldn't have given any more in terms of their effort, desire and character.
"They've reached a first final away from England — a second final in two tournaments is incredible really. They've played 14 matches in the last two European Championships and we've lost in the last five minutes of the 14th game. We weren't beaten other than on penalties in that period — it's an incredible run.
"But at the moment I have to say none of that matters, because we had an opportunity to win and we haven't been able to take it."
