Brexit fatigued nation holds its breath
England’s run for the Cup just the remedy needed for a country in turmoil
SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA— Just a handful of days remain in Russia’s World Cup for the ages. England, however, wishes it could go on forever.
It’s not just that the country’s national team are suddenly contenders on the world stage. It’s that Gareth Southgate’s band of young, vibrant and diverse contenders have provided the most welcome distraction in modern England’s history.
A royal wedding lasts just a day. Southgate and his crew have been out here serving up a joyous diversion for over a month now. Yet even as they prepared for the national team’s biggest game since 1966, minds were brought snapping back to the National Lampoon reality that is England 2018.
The quest to “take back ownership” of its own affairs from the European Union that instantly revealed itself to instead be the biggest act of political self-ownage we’ve ever seen is now an incessant mortification. For reasons best known to no one, Britain wanted to escape the EU. Now, even during a World Cup, England can’t escape Brexit.
As Prime Minister Theresa May saw two of her most prominent pro-Brexit ministers jump an almost fully submerged ship on another day of turmoil Monday, there was no little irony in the England national soccer team, for decades the least dependable entity in the land, being the ones people turned to for something, anything more reliable.
While the homeland crumbles off the Cliffs of Dover, on Wednesday night in Moscow, England takes on Croatia with a place in the World Cup final very much on the line. As one wag put it, Southgate and co. could very soon be bringing home a trophy . . . to a country without a cabinet.
Even as he prepared for the game of his life, the manager clearly senses the role the Three Lions now play in bringing psychological respite to a place tearing itself apart at the seams. “Our country has been through some difficult moments lately in terms of its unity,” Southgate said at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference at the Luzhniki Stadium. “Sport, and football particularly, has the power to help (address) that. It is a special feeling and privilege for us. We can feel the energy from home.
“We’ve had the chance to make a difference. Our supporters, our country has had a lot of suffering — in terms of football. The boys have been brilliant ambassadors for our country.”
For so many reasons, it was fitting that Jordan Henderson was sat alongside Southgate at the pre-match podium as he delivered those words. The midfielder has maybe made more of a difference than any England player, even free-scoring skipper Harry Kane.
Henderson also happens to hail from Sunderland, a bellwether on the day of the Brexit referendum when the northeastern city voted 61 to 39 per cent to leave. A place that benefitted hugely from EU support as its traditional industries died off, it now faces a bleaker future than most, losing all of that funding and likely its most important employer, a giant Nis- san production plant, too.
Southgate’s multicultural crew — Raheem Sterling was born in Jamaica; Eric Dier raised in Portugal; Dele Alli’s father is Nigerian; Jesse Lingard’s relatives hail from St Vincent; even Kane, with an Irish grandfather — are an antidote to Brexit in so many ways. On Wednesday, the country will hope the antidote doesn’t wear off just yet.
Croatia lies in wait in Moscow and poses an infinitely greater threat than any side England has met to date (their inconsequential final group game with Belgium aside). According to an analysis in Tuesday’s Times newspaper in the U.K., Southgate’s team has enjoyed the fourth-easiest path to a World Cup semifinal in the World Cup’s history.
But if there’s a concern that they may be a little undercooked, there is solace to be found in observing opponents for whom the opposite may be true — Croatia might just be burned out.
The sides progressed to the final four in very differing circumstances. England cruised past a stultifying Swedish outfit whose race was run after all of 30 minutes, the pedestrian pace for much of the second half allowing English legs some welcome rest. Later that night in Sochi, Croatia was pushed to extra time for the second successive game as Russia ran them all the way to the last penalty kick.
This is a stage of the tournament where experience is supposed to count the most. But freshness shapes to be pretty pivotal too. Southgate’s team undoubtedly have that on their side.
But Croatia still boast the most outstanding player in the contest. Captain Luka Modric has been arguably the tournament’s best player. Henderson went toe-to-toe with him just over a month ago and came off the worse for it, his Liverpool side outclassed by Modric and Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final. On Wednesday Henderson called Modric “one of the best I’ve played against” then added “hopefully he has a quiet night”.
For his part, Modric sounded this week like a man who would be much happier if England hadn’t turned on its head. Asked about the challenge of facing this steady side from a very unsteady land, the playmaker opted for honesty.
“What I would like is to face the England team of before,” he said. “I don’t know if there is a different mentality but it seems that they are more like a team. They have this togetherness that is very important to have success.”
England awaits . . . and hopes the distraction goes on.