Forging national pride in the story of us

It’s a bit tricky writing this ahead of Sunday’s European final, but my gut instinct is that in the long run, the Wembley match might prove to be less significant than the way the England team got there. A new and refreshing way of talking about loyalty and the nation has overtaken us. It’s focused on the qualities within our team, rather than the raw ambition of defeating our opponents. And for this, we must thank Gareth Southgate, the England manager.

Southgate is a really good example of professionalism. He is rightly ambitious for those he leads, but he has not been heard to make extravagant claims for results he cannot deliver. This is refreshing, and it is rare in our public life.

And he looks the part. There is nothing flamboyant about his dress sense, but it does convey a simple message. He expresses respect for the professionalism of those he leads by the standards of his own presentation.

The success of his leadership is derived from serious, thoughtful analysis. Southgate’s work on the pitch flows out of his commitment to a racially and culturally diverse team.

When he said, ‘I know I couldn’t be prouder to be an Englishman’, we heard a football manager speaking into the vacuum of moral leadership in Britain today. How different from statements in Westminster that have made exaggerated and hollow claims for British greatness.

Southgate’s claim directed our attention to the benefit of inclusion. It was a simple affirmation of the best we can be, when we value the contribution each can make. It was an invitation to be proud and defensive of each other’s identity.

This resonates with genuine hope for our nation as we celebrate the reality of its life and potential in the 21st century.

And one detail, throughout all of this, indicates a particular novelty in Southgate’s leadership. He takes it for granted that men are also capable of introducing a moral quality to public life.

When you think about it, it’s generally been men who have done the damage. Discredited politicians, clergy, police and journalists have overwhelmingly been men.

Here is a new story about men behaving well, forging national pride in the multilingual, multi-faceted ‘story of us’, where you are respected, safe, and want to belong.