Three Lions on a Shirt …
Football, a game in which everyone gets hurt and every nation has its own style of play which seems unfair to foreigners.
George Orwell
The postponed EURO 2020 football championship started last Friday. It’s that which prompts this week’s Reflection.
I had a ticket for one of the England games until the Covid pandemic struck, causing a significant reduction in the number of spectators that can attend matches. Much to my disappointment, I did not come through the resulting ballot, of ticket holders, successfully. Never mind, in compensation for that disappointment, I bought a ticket for the same day, to the much-acclaimed Thomas Beckett exhibition at the British Museum. Ironically, Covid also caused the postponement of that exhibition from last year, the 850th anniversary of his murder. I will watch the England game on TV when I get home.
I’ve seen a few games at earlier EURO tournaments. All with my eldest son. In 1996 we travelled around England catching a few games. In 2004 we went off to Porto together to watch some games.
Only one of those games involved England. That was the opening one of the 1996 competition against Switzerland that ended in a 1:1 draw. I have three memories of the game: Alan Shearer’s cracking goal. ‘St George’, having a mishap when his horse slid during the pre-match entertainment — and hearing the Red Arrows as they carried out a short display above the ground. We couldn’t see them. The roof of the old Wembley Stadium blocked our view. Air displays and sporting arenas don’t work.
While I always wish to see England do well, I do not want to attend only their games. I enjoy the different atmosphere that supporters of other teams create.
For instance, the orange hordes that follow the Netherlands. You name it; the Dutch fans colour it orange — their hair, skin, clothes, shoes. They are a remarkable sight when they group en masse. As if they’ve all overdosed on Sunny Delight.
Then there are the Danes and Swedes, both of whom prefer the horned helmets that brought fear to the heart of the early Anglo-Saxons once upon a time. It’s even a bit disconcerting seeing them today. I’ve come across some noticeably big lads amongst Danish and Swedish supporters. It doesn’t take much imagination to think of their ancestors marauding the English countryside terrorising the population. Current supporters also drink prodigious quantities of beer. However, unlike their ancestors, in the present day, it leads to boisterous good humour rather than pillage.
As you would imagine, Italian fans have more style. There’s even elegance to how they wear their scarves and colours of the ‘Azzurri’. They also seem just as likely to order un caffè as una Birra. I once sat in a bar in Rome watching a Napoli v Roma game on TV and was one of only two drinking alcohol. The Roma fans preferring soft drinks or coffee. Yet, it didn’t stop the emotion in word and gesture whenever Roma came close to scoring. Although losing Italian teams can come in for some stick from their supporters. In England, we might throw epithets at poorly performing players. On one occasion, an Italian squad returned home to a waiting crowd that pelted the players with overripe tomatoes.
So, who do I think might win this year’s tournament? Belgium seem the favourites. No matter how poor their pre-tournament form, one can never rule out the Germans. But I think the French will follow up their World Cup success. As for England? They are off to a good start in the group stage. They might swagger through the last sixteen and even the quarter-final. Offering us false hope. Then they’ll fall. To the Germans. On penalties. Isn’t it always thus?
This week’s music must be this catchy little tune from 25 years ago (Ummm, I wonder what happened to the guy at the start of the video who missed the penalty…)
