The summer of 2018 will live long in the memory of English people. Endless days of sunshine and a World Cup were the national team were performing. Before the tournament began, there was not much hope. Fresh in the minds of everyone was the humiliating exit to Iceland in Euro 2016, a country with a population the same size as Croydon. Surely this would be different?
Qualifying was, like always, boring to watch as England won the group. The issues of the pitch, though, were far from boring. 'Big' Sam Allardyce oversaw the first group match, a 1-0 over Slovenia, but was dismissed for allegations of malpractice. Gareth Southgate was his successor. England finished unbeaten (8 wins, 2 draws) and were handed an easy World Cup group, Tunisia, Panama but a difficult Belgium challenge.
Pre-tournament expectations was quarter-finals. England were expected to coast past Tunisia and Panama and more than likely suffer defeat to Belgiun. England's probable round of 16 opponent was Colombia. England operated with a 5-3-2. Jordan Pickford in between the sticks; Harry Maguire, John Stones and Kyle Wales, to provide flexibility, the three central defenders; Ashley Young on the left which Kieran Trippier deployed on the right; Jordan Henderson, favoured to Eric Dier, Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard made up the midfield trio and Raheem Sterling in an unfamiliar striker role partnered captain Harry Kane up front.
England's first game, versus Tunisia, started excellently. They were easily cutting through the Tunsian defence and should've been a few goals up before Harry Kane gave England the lead, scoring the rebound from John Stone's header resulting from an England corner. That would become a theme throughout the World Cup. The, clumsy defending from Kyle Walker, raising his arm in the box, gave Tunisia a penalty and suddenly England were drawing. England continued to probe and in the injury time, Harry Kane nodded in from close range from yet another England corner as the Three Lions gained all thee points.
Panama was next and a demolition job was expected. England obliged and were 5-0 up at half-time. John Stones gave England the lead, heading home a Trippier corner. Harry Kane emphatically doubled the lead from the penalty spot. Jesse Lingard score the third as curled home a beauty from the edge of the box. Stones got his second and England's fith before Harry Kane scored from the spot again. A lucky Kane goal gave him his hat-trick in the second half. Panama did get their consolation goal, their first ever World Cup goal. England had qualified with one game to go.
The Belgium was dictated with pre-match talk on where England should finish. Coming top would keep momentum going but the other half of the draw represented an easier path to the final. Southgate made 8 changes as Adnan Januzaj scored the only goal of the game, meaning England had ended up on the more favourable side of the draw. Colombia awaited.
It was testament to Southgate's character that he instilled into this England side that they managed to not get a red card during the Colombia match. The Colombians, clearly intent on winding England up, tried every dirty trick they could. Barrios headbutted Henderson, who at half-time ran to the referee and shook his hand. As Raheem Sterling ran off the pitch, a Colombian coach bumped into him. England were awarded a penalty after Harry Kane was bundle to the floor. The Colombians refused to accept the clear decision, arguing with the ref and scuffing the penalty spot. None of their games mattered as Harry Kane, as calm as ever, dispatched his penalty straight down the middle. 1-0 England. As injury time approached, Colombia began pressure England more and more. Eventually, the Colombians prevailed, Yerry Mina scoring the equaliser. To extra time, which brought no goals, penalties, it was.
It's been noted how terrible England are at penalty shoot-outs. Mentally, I was preparing myself for defeat. It was tit-for-tat as Colombia went into a 3-2 lead as Jordan Henderson stepped up. He curled his penalty into the bottom right corner but David Ospina met it and pushed it away. The same old thoughts started to circle round everyone's heads - "same old England". Or was it? Mateus Uribe smashed the bar before Kieran Trippier levelled things. Jordan Pickford stepped up to the plate and made a fantastic save as Carlos Bacca was denied. Eric Dier knew his task- score, and England win.
He did score. England progressed to the quarter-finals by winning their first ever World Cup penalty shoot-out. Was football coming home?
Sweden were the next obstacle. As easy as it may have seemed, it was far from it. An England corner resulted in an England goal, this time from Harry 'Slabhead' Maguire. Dele Alli made it two from Jesse Lingard's cross. Jordan Pickford made a fine few saves as England reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 28 years. It really did seem like football was coming home.
The general expectation against Croatia was that they would be fatigued. A fair point, given the previous two games required penalties from them to progress. The whole country had the eyes fixed on the television screen. A country expected. Dele Alli was tripped five minutes into the game, giving Kieran Trippier the opportunity from a good distance. He smashed home the free-kick putting England on their way to their first World Cup final in 52 years. I'm convinced my life peaked at that point. Harry Kane was played through, took it around the goalkeeper but was then somehow denied by Danijel Subasic. England were playing well and in control.
The second-half was a different story all together. Croatia did not tire, England did. Several Croatians later claimed that they were motivated further by the English press claiming Croatia would be exhausted. This, I have to say, is a load of pony. I highly doubt Dejan Lovren was reading The Times and was angered by how the journalists seemed to dismiss Croatia. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Regardless, England began to get deeper and deeper and deeper before Ivan Perisic equalised. Perisic then hit the post as extra time was again needed. John Stones had a header cleared off the line before, in the 109th minute, all our dreams came tumbling down. The English defence switched off allowing Mario Mandzukic to run through and seal the blow. England were out. Football wasn't coming home.
The Lightning Seeds' song arguably took over peoples' lives. 24/7 'Three Lions' was being played. It was a song born out of the continual failure of the English national team. No one for a second ever thought football was actually coming home, apart from when Trippier scored. Apparently it was typical English arrogance, it was merely a joke.
All us fans wanted was for pride to be restored in English football. The players did that and more. They united a country when politically it so divided. Harry Maguire riding on a unicorn, Gareth Southgate's waistcoat, everything about the World Cup was magnificent.
This a young England team and the experience of Russia will only make them better. With the Euro 2020 semi-finals and final at Wembley, football will be coming home. It's going to be brilliant.
Qualifying was, like always, boring to watch as England won the group. The issues of the pitch, though, were far from boring. 'Big' Sam Allardyce oversaw the first group match, a 1-0 over Slovenia, but was dismissed for allegations of malpractice. Gareth Southgate was his successor. England finished unbeaten (8 wins, 2 draws) and were handed an easy World Cup group, Tunisia, Panama but a difficult Belgium challenge.
Pre-tournament expectations was quarter-finals. England were expected to coast past Tunisia and Panama and more than likely suffer defeat to Belgiun. England's probable round of 16 opponent was Colombia. England operated with a 5-3-2. Jordan Pickford in between the sticks; Harry Maguire, John Stones and Kyle Wales, to provide flexibility, the three central defenders; Ashley Young on the left which Kieran Trippier deployed on the right; Jordan Henderson, favoured to Eric Dier, Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard made up the midfield trio and Raheem Sterling in an unfamiliar striker role partnered captain Harry Kane up front.
England's first game, versus Tunisia, started excellently. They were easily cutting through the Tunsian defence and should've been a few goals up before Harry Kane gave England the lead, scoring the rebound from John Stone's header resulting from an England corner. That would become a theme throughout the World Cup. The, clumsy defending from Kyle Walker, raising his arm in the box, gave Tunisia a penalty and suddenly England were drawing. England continued to probe and in the injury time, Harry Kane nodded in from close range from yet another England corner as the Three Lions gained all thee points.
Panama was next and a demolition job was expected. England obliged and were 5-0 up at half-time. John Stones gave England the lead, heading home a Trippier corner. Harry Kane emphatically doubled the lead from the penalty spot. Jesse Lingard score the third as curled home a beauty from the edge of the box. Stones got his second and England's fith before Harry Kane scored from the spot again. A lucky Kane goal gave him his hat-trick in the second half. Panama did get their consolation goal, their first ever World Cup goal. England had qualified with one game to go.
The Belgium was dictated with pre-match talk on where England should finish. Coming top would keep momentum going but the other half of the draw represented an easier path to the final. Southgate made 8 changes as Adnan Januzaj scored the only goal of the game, meaning England had ended up on the more favourable side of the draw. Colombia awaited.
It was testament to Southgate's character that he instilled into this England side that they managed to not get a red card during the Colombia match. The Colombians, clearly intent on winding England up, tried every dirty trick they could. Barrios headbutted Henderson, who at half-time ran to the referee and shook his hand. As Raheem Sterling ran off the pitch, a Colombian coach bumped into him. England were awarded a penalty after Harry Kane was bundle to the floor. The Colombians refused to accept the clear decision, arguing with the ref and scuffing the penalty spot. None of their games mattered as Harry Kane, as calm as ever, dispatched his penalty straight down the middle. 1-0 England. As injury time approached, Colombia began pressure England more and more. Eventually, the Colombians prevailed, Yerry Mina scoring the equaliser. To extra time, which brought no goals, penalties, it was.
It's been noted how terrible England are at penalty shoot-outs. Mentally, I was preparing myself for defeat. It was tit-for-tat as Colombia went into a 3-2 lead as Jordan Henderson stepped up. He curled his penalty into the bottom right corner but David Ospina met it and pushed it away. The same old thoughts started to circle round everyone's heads - "same old England". Or was it? Mateus Uribe smashed the bar before Kieran Trippier levelled things. Jordan Pickford stepped up to the plate and made a fantastic save as Carlos Bacca was denied. Eric Dier knew his task- score, and England win.
He did score. England progressed to the quarter-finals by winning their first ever World Cup penalty shoot-out. Was football coming home?
Sweden were the next obstacle. As easy as it may have seemed, it was far from it. An England corner resulted in an England goal, this time from Harry 'Slabhead' Maguire. Dele Alli made it two from Jesse Lingard's cross. Jordan Pickford made a fine few saves as England reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 28 years. It really did seem like football was coming home.
The general expectation against Croatia was that they would be fatigued. A fair point, given the previous two games required penalties from them to progress. The whole country had the eyes fixed on the television screen. A country expected. Dele Alli was tripped five minutes into the game, giving Kieran Trippier the opportunity from a good distance. He smashed home the free-kick putting England on their way to their first World Cup final in 52 years. I'm convinced my life peaked at that point. Harry Kane was played through, took it around the goalkeeper but was then somehow denied by Danijel Subasic. England were playing well and in control.
The second-half was a different story all together. Croatia did not tire, England did. Several Croatians later claimed that they were motivated further by the English press claiming Croatia would be exhausted. This, I have to say, is a load of pony. I highly doubt Dejan Lovren was reading The Times and was angered by how the journalists seemed to dismiss Croatia. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Regardless, England began to get deeper and deeper and deeper before Ivan Perisic equalised. Perisic then hit the post as extra time was again needed. John Stones had a header cleared off the line before, in the 109th minute, all our dreams came tumbling down. The English defence switched off allowing Mario Mandzukic to run through and seal the blow. England were out. Football wasn't coming home.
The Lightning Seeds' song arguably took over peoples' lives. 24/7 'Three Lions' was being played. It was a song born out of the continual failure of the English national team. No one for a second ever thought football was actually coming home, apart from when Trippier scored. Apparently it was typical English arrogance, it was merely a joke.
All us fans wanted was for pride to be restored in English football. The players did that and more. They united a country when politically it so divided. Harry Maguire riding on a unicorn, Gareth Southgate's waistcoat, everything about the World Cup was magnificent.
This a young England team and the experience of Russia will only make them better. With the Euro 2020 semi-finals and final at Wembley, football will be coming home. It's going to be brilliant.
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