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And for the semifinals for the first time in 28 years.
While the final whistle on a 2-0 win that left the British fans ecstatic contemplating the first semifinal of the World Cup since 1990, the epic transformation of which, until 39, recently, had been an imprecise team began to infiltrate the national consciousness.
In the Sports Lounge, a cavernous bar in Sheffield where hundreds of fans had gathered to watch a match that broadcasters were suggesting. "(19659002) As those who watched the game were keen to point out, it was not just a win for England, it was also a victory. for Yorkshire, which provided six of the team. And three of six – Kyle Walker, Jamie Vardy and the hero of the hour, day, month, the unlikely striker, Harry Maguire – comes from Sheffield himself.
"It's at the academies of Sheffield United and Wednesday – they give visibility to young players," said Andrew Wright, who was at the bar with a group of friends, supporters of both teams of the "They need to develop young players because, unlike Manchester United, they can not spend millions to buy new ones."
Wright's friend Matthew Shepherd spoke enthusiastically about how the English team seemed more land than its predecessors. "Many of them come from popular backgrounds," said Wright. "The community is important to them. They are different from the Beckham generation. "
It was left to Tottenham MP David Lammy to fly the flag for the beautiful south and offer a reminder that it is the Spurs who have more players in the team than any other team." 19659002] " The five Spurs boys in the team raised the spirits of a nation with Kane, a Tottenham boy at the helm, "said Lammy.
But on Saturday, bragging rights north versus south were suspended as players and nation united in a mix of giant ideas, the gift of an intoxicating victory that a few weeks ago, had to seem as likely as the endless summer that envelops the country
In Russia, jubilation in Sheffield, London and all points between and beyond filtered through empty seats, but England manager Gareth Southgate found himself dancing and singing with the fans
Dele Alli, the Spurs player who scored the second goal is, lord Jordan Pickford of Everton for his keeper. for fans at home because we have seen how they support us, "said Alli.
Kane said that he thought that England was" fantastic "." Sweden has made the difficult task, "he said." Long balls at the back, a lot of crosses. We are buzzing! We are buzzing! "And Maguire sums it all up:" It can not get any better than that, the quarter-finals of the World Cup. "
But it was not just a victory, it was a national exorcism.The ignominy of losing to Iceland in the championship of Europe there is two years ago evaporated like a beer spilled under the warm English sun as thousands of pub gardens reverberated to the sound of the Three Lions and a young and inexperienced team remained on the spot. a nation hungry for joy and heroes.
"I had a reliance on Maguire to score the first goal," said Nigel Congreve watching the game with his friends at the bar
"He's a big boy and he goes The goal of Maguire erased the memories of just 10 months ago when the English manager Gareth Southgate, now on track for national beatification, attended a mbad walkout by English supporters to Malta.
Before the tournament began, Southgate, whose penchant for natty vests had seen garment sales rise 35%, had discussed the need to win back fans. "I've already talked about a disconnect between supporters and the team," Southgate said. "The way you play is different."
With England's win over Sweden, the English manager, who missed a penalty against Germany in Euro 96, was transformed into a modern day. magus, a soothsayer with a magic balm to relieve the misfortunes of a nation.
The twitter hashtag #garethsouthgatewould – where fans discuss the kinds of things that the thoughtful English manager would do in different situations such as opening sweet wrappers before going to the movies Phillip Hodson, a psychotherapist in Exercise and the first radio "Agony Uncle" of Britain, said that under the aegis of Southgate, the national team has become a shrine without a nest egg for a uniformly qualified man of decent. seemed to have found an innate courage: "All commentators have noticed that there is an optimism in the current side that has been lacking in recent years." "In the sport, it is the call" Play without fear "because one, you have no inhibition of catastrophic defeat pbaded and two, you dare to take the necessary risks to win. "
In Sheffield, it was hard to say who needed the victory the most, the nation or the national side. An England torn apart by Brexit and worrying about its fractious relationship with other members of the UK could be forgiven for lacking confidence. But the win against Sweden will do a lot to stabilize the ship, Hodson suggested.
"There are 211 FIFA members but only 193 from the UN Football is globalized faster than any other sport and, although Fifa is judged to be corrupt, it is safe to play. In fact, there is a democracy in a member and a vote, so the success of football in terms of soft power at the international level is immense. "
Ellis Cashmore, British sociologist and author of the book [19459005Studyingfootball was more warlike. "Short of war, there is no more effective way to galvanize the English identity than football against another nation.When the England team is involved in a big match, the clock in history seems to stop. "
This was certainly the case in the Sports Lounge. As the whistle sounded and three Lions roared again, no one wanted to move. Everyone wanted to relive the match and discuss prospects for Wednesday's semifinal
"It could have been three or four draws," Shepherd said. "There was never any doubt."
In Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, something powerful was happening. He overflowed bars and the streets, through the countryside to the shores. One day when the sport seemed to have claimed the globe, we heard it at Headingley, Wimbledon and the Loire and it united around three little words: it comes home.
A nation has rediscovered its voice.
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