Diverse England team wins fans eager for good news
Hannah Kumari has been an English soccer fan since childhood, but she hadn’t wanted to fly an England flag. Until now.
Kumari is one of millions of fans ecstatic that England’s men’s team has reached the final of a major tournament for the first time since it won the World Cup in 1966. But like many British people of color, she has had an ambivalent relationship with symbols of Englishness.
Yet embracing them has come more easily thanks to the young, multiethnic squad that is on the cusp of triumph in the European Championship. After beating Denmark 21 in a semifinal Wednesday that was watched by half the country’s population, England faces Italy in the final at London’s Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
“When I woke up this morning, I thought, ‘I’m going to buy a St. George’s flag to hang out the window for Sunday,’ ” Kumari, who was born and raised in England to an Indian mother and Scottish father, said the day after the Denmark game.
“I’ve never owned an England shirt,” the actorwriter said. “Something has definitely changed. I feel almost like that team has given me permission to feel like I can wear an England shirt.”
The past few years have been hard on England and the rest of the United Kingdom. Britain’s exit from the European Union — a decision driven in part by a backlash against immigration — left the country scratchy and divided. More than 128,000 people have died in the U.K. during the coronavirus pandemic, the highest toll in Western Europe.
Euro 2020 has provided a muchneeded jolt of excitement and fun. Millions weary of lockdowns and bad news are backing a team whose members speak against racism, take a knee before games, support LGBT pride, campaign against poverty and, crucially, win games.
The country’s hopes rest on a team very different from the allwhite squad of 1966. This team is known less for wild offthepitch antics than for social responsibility, epitomized by Marcus Rashford’s campaign against child poverty, which convinced the government to restore free lunches for thousands of poor children.
Last week, Harry Kane wore a rainbow armband to support LGBT pride during England’s match against Germany.
Copa America: In the thirdplace match in Brasilia, Luis Diaz scored two secondhalf goals, including the gamewinner in extra time, and Colombia beat Peru 32.
CONCACAF Gold Cup: Curacao was dropped from the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Friday because of positive coronavirus tests and replaced by Guatemala. Ranked 76th, Curacao was to open Group A on Saturday against El Salvador in Frisco, Texas. Guatemala, ranked 127th, now is scheduled to open against El Salvador on Sunday in Frisco.
MLS: CF Montreal traded Erik Hurtado to the Columbus Crew for $200,000 in general allocation money, saying the fact the American forward was not vaccinated played into the deal.
“Before proceeding, Erik also confirmed that he was not comfortable taking the vaccine, so we concluded this deal, which we felt was very satisfactory,” Montreal sporting director Olivier Renard said.
Hurtado joined Montreal as a free agent Feb. 16. He is a nineyear MLS veteran who has 19 goals and 11 assists in 140 games.
Miguel Berry scored in the 77th minute to help the 10man Columbus Crew tie host FC Cincinnati 22.