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It was the morning of the semifinal. He was walking down the street shouting "Come on England!" To anyone in particular. Sitting on a bench nearby, I raised my hand as a sign of solidarity. He saw me, went back and shouted, "He's coming home!" I shouted the words to her and we both laughed. Finally, I had exchanged the greeting of the summer, both absurd and full of meaning, with a perfect stranger.
The last few weeks have been tumultuous. There has been a lot of "things to do" outside of football, which may have heightened hysteria. But from the moment Harry Kane turned home the winner against Tunisia England succumbed to football fever at a level never seen since 1996. The flags came out seriously, not just out of sense of duty . People were flicking on the two-story buses. Watching the games outside became de rigueur and half a dozen pints poured over your head a rite of passage. The shirts have run out, the memes have been unleashed and Harry Maguire's forehead has become the most unlikely fetish since Prince Harry's ginger beard.
At the heart of all this were these three words. But there was some ambiguity as to exactly what was going on at home. Yes, there was the World Cup itself. There was a bit of each one of us who thought it could happen – probably not but could. The phrase was an expression of confidence covered with irony, a recognizable English phrase. It also meant other things. He expressed enthusiasm for the football team, a sign of solidarity. These are players with whom we could identify. It was also a nod to past times and a happy collective memory. He evoked past summers or maybe just been himself. Finally, once out of context, "it comes home" was downright ridiculous. It was just fun to say, like "bread with garlic?" Was or "Proper Bo!"
A sense of fun was an integral part of Gareth Southgate 's plan for his team from England. It was necessary because it was a team that was at the point where shooting at the three lions had seemed equivalent to donning a lead shirt. To get rid of the psychodrama of the last decade, the team had to remember what had happened to this point in the first place: their love of the game. It was a good way to start over. Back at home, we recognized a team that amuses itself. We also saw that, therefore, they were more committed to each other. We have seen it on the field but also at the dart board or on social networks at the back of a unicorn. They had the air of laughter
This amusement had a serious point. It was designed as a building block in a platform to win football matches. Perhaps half of England's six matches in Russia has borne fruit. The confidence of a relaxed and united team helped us not only to overtake Tunisia, but also to stabilize against Colombia and simply pass by a Swedish team that had made things difficult for the opposition for years. In the end, against Croatia, the enthusiasm and commitment showed their limits. The team ran out of legs and ideas. They have been surpassed and over-thought (also a bit overwhelmed) by more experienced opponents. If England wants to improve this memorable race, she will have to offer others.
As professionals, footballers will ultimately judge themselves by the medals on their fireplace (or in their air-conditioned trophy rooms). It can be argued, however, that the pleasure that the English have derived from this World Cup has not been overturned by the fact that we did not win it.
Football is a game. It is not to denigrate but to celebrate it. Many claims were made during the tournament about the success of England, what it meant or what it could accomplish. Most seem a little stretch. It might be hoped that effective elements could bring rival parties together in a cultural war or bring young people together with old people, but in reality these tensions in our country will have to be solved by other means. Football can bring peace or world resolution to Brexit negotiations, but many inspiring yet humble quotes from the director of England are pinned to the wall
What gambling can certainly to do, is to remind us to have fun. Life is short and many things are difficult. The past few years have been incredibly unpleasant. The occasions when you get lost in the moment, when you only enjoy what surrounds you, are perhaps more rare than they should be. Sport can provide such moments, either playing or watching. In this World Cup, we watched a team from England who understood the power of pleasure and used it to help them achieve their goal. For those of us at home and in the stands, we have been reminded that pleasure can also be an end in itself.
Has football ever reached its final destination? The trophy does not have; it's safe. But for a moment, something was definitely coming back home. We all felt it and we all enjoyed it. We should remember the power of this simple pleasure in the future. And also take better care of our bus stops.
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