“Well at least England have advanced slightly...a final instead of a semi-final...”

“Well at least England have advanced slightly...a final instead of a semi-final...” | JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT - JCB MD pm

Jason MoorePalma16/07/2021 10:41
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We are living in very strange times. For the last two weeks I have been enjoying the delights of a Mallorca beachside holiday but still following the news and I came to the conclusion that it is a very “odd time.” Footballers became politicians and politicians became football pundits and for England it all ended in tears.

The national team have advanced slightly, reaching the final of a European final compared to the semifinal when Gareth Southgate was playing, but the result was the same; England exit on penalties. Sadly, England players were racially abused on social media but you don´t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that social media needs to be taken to task and this outrageous behaviour stopped once and for all. Enough is enough.

Not a great week for the British government either, the sight of Prime Minister Boris Johnson wearing an England football jersey almost made me choke on my sangria! Gareth Southgate claims that his team had united the country while one-pro-independence journal in Scotland came out supporting Italy.

Football may have united England but the United Kingdom remains split and the sight of Number 10 Downing Street draped in England colours will have done little to bring Britain together. When England were defeated by Germany on penalties in Euro´96 I was deeply disappointed. That was the year that football was also coming home.

This year, I just thought perhaps it is time that England practiced taking penalties but I also thought that in 1996!