Ernest Osogbue.
The three lions of England, as the English national football team is fondly called, made it to the semi finals of the 2026 FIFA world cup hosted in the US, Canada, and Mexico. By any standards, this was a great performance, considering the plethora of footballing nations that had crashed out earlier in the championship. Five time winners, Brazil; four time winners, Germany; and two time winners, Uruguay; all failed to make it beyond the quarter finals. With four time winners, Italy, outrightly failing to qualify for the 48 team fiesta.
Other important footballing nations that couldn’t make it beyond the quarter finals, include; Portugal, Morocco, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Mexico, Sweden, and many others. With the above record, it is evident that the English national team did very well to make it to the semi finals, where they were eliminated by defending champions Argentina. Unfortunately, however, to the Englanders, reaching the semi final was not good enough, and losing to Argentina from a winning position is seen as being unacceptable. This has resulted in the entire English people going into mourning, rather than celebrate a great world cup performance.
From all indications, England are the authors of their own problems. There’s a belief that because football arguably originated from the English shores, therefore, their lone world cup win in 1966, is too few, and not enough. This has resulted in the English always believing that they will achieve victory before every fifa world cup. This unnecessarily raises the expectations of citizens, to the extent that even when the English team performs well, not winning the trophy is seen as failure.
Secondly, the English Premier League, is the number one football league in the world, drawing audiences from across the world on a weekly basis. English football clubs have supporters in such far flung places as the Andes, Afghanistan, Africa and even the Eskimos, underscoring the interest English football generates around the world. Only but a few of the best players in the world, ply their trade outside of the EPL. This has made the EPL, the richest league in the world, with English clubs amongst the richest clubs in world football. On this basis, Englanders, believe that having such a league, should necessarily translate to success on the global stage. They simply forget that not all the talents in the EPL, are Englanders.
Thirdly, and most importantly, is the English press, which analyzes and dissects the English performances to a fault, and even reveals tactical secrets. Included in this group, is the high turn out of retired English footballers who have become football pundits. These former England players, make so much money from being analysts for different television networks, and in a bid to justify their outrageous salaries, they completely forget their role as the bridge between the national team and the people. At the end of any continental or global football championship, they criticize and attack the England team, rubbish individual players, slate the manager, and highlight the negative aspects and errors the team may have made. Conversely, rather than energize and motivate the team for better performances, the criticisms end up demoralizing the players, and rubbishing the great job already being done. It also distances the team from the people, and there’s no way a team could win without the emotional support of the people.
From history, every winning team must have had a difficult period of struggles before it overcomes. It took France many years of near misses and heartbreak, before it finally found the winning magic, and today, they remain one of the most entertaining teams in the world. Same thing goes for Spain, who were the laughing stock of the entire world for many years, before finding their mojo. Today, Spain readily dictates the rhythm of international football, as they go about winning champships, like children collecting candy. Germany, Italy, and Brazil, have had their days in the wilderness, but always retain the belief that they will still overcome.
This is what differentiates these countries from England; the ability to remain calm after every loss. This allows for time to weigh the positives against the negatives, look at areas that need improvements, make the right decisions, take the necessary steps, and be determined to go again. These countries, also understand the essence of every supporter rallying behind the team, giving it moral support, and keeping hope alive after every loss. These countries do not act as if the world has come to an end after every defeat, as the English are wont to do. They take defeat on the chin, and shake it off, knowing that their day will come. This is why these countries are able to dust themselves off after every setback, and keep pushing until the next goal is achieved.
On the part of the English, however, former internationals take delight in trying to out criticize the team amongst themselves, after every loss. The decision making of individual players and the manager, are disected to the barest details on television shows, exposing the players to social media harassment and attacks, which sometimes affect their mental health. These former internationals, completely forget themselves, when criticizing and attacking the national team. In the end, they only succeed in weakening the resolve of the players, and turning the nation against the team, even after a supposedly good performance.
If it were possible, it would be wonderful to tell Gary Neville to shut up; ask Jamie Carragher to keep quiet; call Wayne Rooney to take it easy; inform Gary Lineker that he has said enough; tell Rio Ferdinand that armchair criticisms do not win matches; and then remind Alan Shearer, that his goals ultimately did not take England anywhere. These guys have forgotten that they didn’t win anything for England. They act and talk as if they did not experience the difficulties of winning international championships.
Argentina, Spain, and France, who seem to be at the top now, have seen it all, before getting to where they are. It would take England a few more near misses, and some bruises, before it would understand game management, and patience, at the highest levels, like Argentina. Such knowledge does not come overnight, it comes from years of practice, being at the very top, being battered along the way, losing some, and then winning a few. Criticizing the English team for losing to Argentina in a world cup semi final, really looks stupid from the point of view of a neutral fan. Argentina are heads and shoulders above England currently. While England had a chance, it would have been an upset victory had they won, as Argentina was expected to win. For English pundits not to commend their team for a great performance, against the current world champions, and start acting like the world has come to end, is the height of stupid entitlement mentality.
I’m sorry, but I have to say it; “shut up, Gary Neville; and keep quiet, Jamie Carragher; always remember that you didn’t win anything for England in your time.”
