Freed from desire: is England ready for these players to be placed next to the boys of 66?
Perhaps it is important to write about beating Spain in the Euro 2024 final before kick-off. Because right now, it could happen
Conor Gallagher scurries to close down Dani Carvajal, he catches him late. The England fans have never cheered a yellow card so loudly. Gallagher sprints somewhere else. We’ve played seven minutes of the five to be added on. Unai Simón launches one forward. The green-bibbed Adam Wharton and Lewis Dunk are virtually on the pitch. They think it’s all over. The referee raises his arms and blows his whistle. Kobbie Mainoo sinks to the turf. Bukayo Saka gleams. Jordan Pickford moves his limbs frantically at the same time. Jude Bellingham stands, arms outstretched, just nodding. Declan Rice and John Stones are embracing like Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman as the camera zooms away to the Pacific Ocean. Get busy living, or get busy dying. That’s goddamn right.
Harry Kane runs from the bench back on to the pitch. His 42nd-minute penalty has won England the Euros. How did Aymeric Laporte miss that header late on? Sweet Caroline. Freed From Desire. Three Lions. Gareth Southgate saluting the crowd. We want to see Wrighty’s face right on full time. Tears of joy. He is all of us. What’s the montage music? The Masterplan? Hey Jude? It’ll be Elbow. And that’ll do nicely.
