The 2010 FIFA World Cup adventure is over for Robert Green and Matthew Upson after England lost 4-1 to Germany in their last-16 tie on Sunday.
The contest in Bloemfontein hinged on a disallowed Frank Lampard 'goal' which was clearly over the line just after Upson had made it 2-1 with a well-taken first-half header. Germany had raced into a two-goal lead through Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski with the Three Lions' defence in disarray, but the Hammers captain's strike led to plenty of half-time confidence of a comeback.
The second half saw Germany take full control but only after Lampard had seen another effort crash against the German crossbar. Two breakaway goals by Thomas Muller put paid to English hopes and mean there is no West Ham representation left at the finals, with Green an unused substitute, Jonathan Spector's United States eliminated by Ghana on Saturday night and Valon Behrami's Switzerland failing in the group stage.
Upson said it was hard to explain why England had fallen short. "I don't have the answer to why we never do it against the big countries.
"You have eleven players giving it 100 per cent. At the end of the day we weren't good enough to get the result. It is as simple as that. Where England go from here is a good question. It is something the manager will be thinking a lot.
"He will be analysing everything we have done in the tournament and I am sure he will learn a lot for the future."