ENGLAND’S BREAK FROM BREXIT WOES
So often the source of letdowns and embarrassments, England’s soccer team is a unifying force among players and the nation.
At least in some sections of the country riven by economic, political and social divisions that led to Brexit, reaching the semifinals is a welcome distraction from the charged atmosphere. It’s a chance to clamber onto traffic lights and toast the success of the footballers in an outpouring of delirium not witnessed across England since the last century.
For the first time since the 1990s, England is in the last four of a major tournament. England will play Croatia on Wednesday for a place in the final after beating Sweden 2-0 Saturday.
“The chance to connect everybody through football and to make a difference to how people feel,” England coach Gareth Southgate said, “that is even more powerful than what we are doing with our results. That is very special. I would imagine there is a big party at home. Not for us.”
There is still much work to do if England is to reach its first World Cup final since lifting the trophy on home soil at Wembley in 1966.
But Southgate believes he has instilled the humble mentality in the dressing room that is required to keep the journey going all the way to Luzhniki Stadium next Sunday. Humility has replaced the hubris that defined the celebrity-obsessed David Beckham-era where the furthest the team reached was the quarterfinal stage of any tournament. Just look back on how Harry Maguire, who headed in Saturday’s first goal, reported for England duty for the first time last year with his clothing in a black trash bag rather than designer luggage.
“We don’t have renowned world-class players yet,” Southgate said, “but lots of good young players who are showing on the world stage that they’re prepared to be brave with the ball, try to play the right way, have shown some mental resilience now.”
At the start of his tenure in 2016, Southgate realized he had to deliver an important message to his players: Any success with England will be greater than anything achieved with their clubs. /