Why another England win will soothe our anxiety

If we have learnt anything from the past memorable week, it is confirmation of the huge and important part sport plays in our national psyche. Of course, there will be those who do not give two hoots and relish the opportunity to moan constantly about turning the television schedules upside down to accommodate Kane, Cavendish and Kyrgios.

That hard core will be there come hell or high water, but, and this might be our imagination, there seem to be fewer of them this summer. Why?

We suspect that having gone without ‘proper’ sport for 16 months or so – that is sport watched live by anyone, let alone a stadiumful – the nation had forgotten just how important it was to our culture, our wellbeing, our mental health.

There has been plenty of lockdown chatter about the crucial role our countryside, urban green spaces and seafronts, have played in keeping us sane since March last year, all of it true.

But might we all not have been happier still, or less depressed, if we could have enjoyed Match of the Day or rugby union’s

Six Nations tournament to the soundtrack of tens of thousands of jubilant or outraged voices?

We understand why we could not, but you only had to experience the atmosphere in England last Tuesday to get a feeling for what kicking, throwing, bowling, hitting a ball or pedalling a bike, means to this country.

That triumphant England team moves on a round tonight in the Euros, this time in Rome’s Olympic stadium which will be largely devoid of England fans. The atmosphere and long, long awaited feelgood factor the nation felt after that 55-year gap in knockout wins against Germany was ended, will not be repeated.

But should England beat Ukraine just watch out for the spring in people’s step, the fixed grin on pinched lockdown faces, when you pop out for your Sunday constitutional.