The women’s final? It was pretty good. But although the girls have the tactics and fitness, they seem to lack the individual strength and ability to provide that spark ’64 mentions.
Flags? Hardly any around – maybe because it has become synonymous with the shame of Brexit. But the tabloids were still full of patriotic hyperbole, because moments like these are an opportunity to appear like they’re readers’ best friends. Fanatical support sells well. And their chumminess on great occasions and support for the national team makes readers more likely to follow their political line later on, even when it goes against their own interests.
But, this ‘support’ for England’s men and women also puts the national team and young rising stars under tremendous pressure – ‘England expects…’ and so on. And this pressure – coming from the exaggerated, populist excess written and said before most major tournaments – is why England often eff-up in World Cups. What do the press barons really care? They’re mostly tax-exiles and foreigners anyway.
As someone said above, the Spanish didn’t believe their own press, and reaped the benefit. We’d do well to do the same.
