It’s all over (for now)

It took the Netherlands midfielder Xavi Simons less than seven minutes to score against England in the semifinal. Not as quick as the 23 seconds it took Albania’s Nedim Bajrami to score against Italy in the group stage but still, pretty quick. Eight minutes later, England were awarded a controversial penalty (‘I would be astonished if this was given,’ one of the ITV commentators said). It’s impossible to know what was going through Harry Kane’s mind in the seconds before he took the kick but whatever it was, the expression on his face made me feel sorry for him. I needn’t have: he scored, we equalised.

Phil Foden got past the keeper but didn’t quite make it as Denzel Dumfries stepped into the goal and kicked the ball away from the line. I’ve always been enamoured of the small touches that have an impact on a game. It’s like seeing a magician for the first time as a child: it’s exciting, sure, but how? How did you do that? Maybe it’s just that, as a clumsy person with slow reactions, I know I could never move with such style and velocity. It wasn’t until the ninetieth minute that England took the lead with a goal from Ollie Watkins and clinched a place in the final.

In the other semifinal, Randal Kolo Muani scored early for France off a nice cross from Kylian Mbappé. I’ve really enjoyed watching France this tournament although it has evidently not been their best by some distance. Before their first game, Mbappé spoke about the danger presented by the far right. ‘France playing with more conviction since the second round of the election?’ someone messaged me after Kolo Muani’s goal.

Sixteen-year-old Lamine Yamal replied with a goal for Spain. When he was a baby he appeared in a photoshoot for a charity calendar, cradled in the arms of Lionel Messi. With the pictures’ reappearance last week people said that some of Messi’s magic must have rubbed off on him, though Yamal’s father suggested it could have been the other way round, and ‘maybe it was Lamine who blessed Leo.’ Within minutes Dani Olmo scored again for Spain, deflecting off France’s Jules Koundé. The better team won but as the French forward Marcus Thuram said, ‘Vive la diversité, vive la République, vive la France. Le combat continue.’

The headlines called Gareth Southgate ‘the only manager to take England to two major finals’. Harry Kane, in defence of England’s slow start to the tournament, said in a press conference: ‘The bottom line is, we haven’t won anything as a nation for a long, long time.’ In fact Southgate is one of two England managers to reach two major tournament finals, along with Sarina Wiegman, the Lionesses’ manager, and we won the Euros ‘as a nation’ as recently as 2022. Yamal has been called the ‘youngest player ever to score at the Euros’ but he was eleven days older than Isabell Herlovsen, who scored for Norway against France in 2005. I’ve wondered if a win for the men’s team would feel any different from the women’s. I wonder if I’ll ever find out.

Wiegman and Southgate have different management styles. Wiegman also looks as if she really wants to win trophies, whereas Southgate seems to want to do well but that doesn’t necessarily mean winning. In an interview a couple of months ago, he was asked: ‘Do you still enjoy the role as much as you did?’

Good question, what does enjoyment mean? My day-to-day work I love because I work alongside good people … where does enjoyment come from? The big games that you win of course are enjoyable after for a few minutes. That is a small hit of enjoyment … The victories if you’re in the game longer last less and less because there is always the next challenge ahead.

He didn’t sound to me like a man hungry for trophies.

The days leading up to the final were worrisome. If we lost, would everyone lose the plot? If we won, would everyone lose the plot? The BBC shared footage of a bus en route to Bellingham being mobbed in celebration of Jude Bellingham. Keir Starmer hinted at a bank holiday if England won. The Coldstream Guards played ‘Three Lions’ at Buckingham Palace. The king encouraged the players ‘to secure victory before the need for any last minute wonder-goals or another penalties drama’.

Tiktok, allegedly, had given my local some newfound fame and punters were queuing outside ahead of its 3 p.m. opening time. On arrival, I was scolded by the barman for being late. It was four hours till kick off. Time passed idly. The queues for the men’s toilets were much longer than the women’s, which made a nice change. At last the match got underway. There were missed opportunities and saves for both sides in the first half which ended 0-0. In the second, Nico Williams scored an efficient goal, Yamal supplying the pass. A lone voice shouted ‘stick your tapas up your arse’ at the TV but was ignored, I’m pleased to say. (I love tapas.)

Kane was subbed off for Ollie Watkins – a bold decision, though it had worked against the Netherlands. Cole Palmer scored for England and mimed a shiver in celebration, a nod to his nickname of ‘Cold’ Palmer for his ability to remain cool under pressure. But Mikel Oyarzabal gave Spain their lead in the 86th minute. A late goal wasn’t going to save us this time. Foden was swapped for Ivan Toney in the 88th minute, there was some chaotic play in the 89th, Marc Cucurella expertly wasted time on the floor and the game ended 2-1 to Spain.

I’ve been here before: England lost to Spain in the final of the Women’s World Cup last year. On Friday the Lionesses moved towards qualifying for the Euros in Switzerland next year, beating Ireland 2-1. You never have to wait too long in football for hope to burn bright and once again fail you.