To ask why the England team (the men) keep falling at the final hurdle, (well virtually at the final hurdle,) at the football World Cup ... and The Euros too?

That applies to all champagne socialists, not just the footballers.

I don't think the UK press make out England is bound to win at all do they? If anything, it's the opposite. They are usually doom and gloom and expect to lose. I've been in France and all the media hype around that team getting into the semis was just the same.

As for the Engldnd men's teams, I sort of know what you mean OP, because last night England were playing amazingly well (I thought anyway), but then seemed to lose confidence or speed or 'something' after they scored the first goal. But people are saying it was because Argentina substituted for an attack-focused side, whereas England's manager hardly substituted anyone and their tactic was to play more defensively? Maybe, maybe not - I don't know.

Ultimately, World Cup fever only happens once every 4 years. Thank god for that. A team wins. Then everyone forgets all about it. They all did really well and the sports press will find something else to drivel on about next week.

It's very simple England - got to the level that they are.
They are among the top four teams in the world - along with Argentina, France and Spain and they got to the last four of the competition.
At that point "anyone can beat anyone else" as proven by Spain beating France (who were serious favourites to win the whole thing) and like France, England just fell short on the day.

Yeah Ive an issue with entertainers too.

AS a society we have our focus totally wrong. We pay huge obscene money to footballers snd entertainers, while we let thousands and thousands of people sleep in the cold on the streets.

I was in London last weekend for the day. I walked past six homeless people on a five minute walk

Do you think that Argentina scoring a second goal JUST before it went to extra time was a coincidence?

They talk about everything, including timing

During the pandemic Gary Neville put homeless people in his hotel for free.

The premier league brings in over a billion in tax every year

Most clubs have outreach programmes to support their local areas

Players such as Didier Drogba and Mo Salah have invested and donated millions to help the poor in their own countries

Do you feel the same about the high wages other entertainers get paid? Musicians, actors etc? Or is your issue purely with footballers

Not the second verse.

Bring me my bow of burning gold
Bring me my arrows of desire ....
Bring me my chariot of fire

I will not cease from mental fight
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand

Honestly could be better and great tune to boot

Exactly

If your significant other went on and on and on annd on about something they did 60 years ago , prattling on every bloody year, you would divorce them, with good reason. The Aussies dont call the english the whingeing poms for nothing.

@Gloriia

why don’t you find it as entertaining? Is it just that you like looking at the fit men running around? 😜

argentina barely attacked at all in the first half.

They attacked over and over in the final ten minutes of the game.

Timing is important.

Once Argentina got the first goal, I knew that they were going to go for another goal straight away - to stop it going into extra time of thirty minutes.

Because its the world cup, the competition is fierce! Getting to the top 4 is an excellent result.

Paid well is one thing. Paid obscenely while other people are struggling to survive. Its awful.

Do you remember when Ashley cole complained that he only 60,000 per week.

You wrote that they bring in millions for people that employ them.

That;s because currently, we as a society put more value on football than on getting homeless people off the streets. Society is fu..cked up

…

Well they are currently ranked 4 in the world, those country’s ranked 1-4 made the semi finals this year, so I would say although there is clearly an aspiration to improve that, they are performing as expected. As PPs have said they’ve done amazingly, but they not quite as good as the very top teams.

Andy Murray used to get a lot of this, he was consistently in the top 5 in the world, but it was never good enough for some.

😂

What do you love about it?

The slowness of it ugh

ITS COM ING HOME ITS COM ING FOOT BALLS COMING HOME

And that's fine obviously, glad you enjoy it. We're all different though and as I said earlier I'm not the only person to liken it to school football tournaments excitement wise as a viewer. Some people pretend it's as entertaining as watching men play but imo it is for from it.

I don't think we held them off for 86 minutes. I think that was Argentina's gameplay. They decide to go for two goals, just before it goes to extra time.

Ive seen other teams do it aswell

I love that song. It brings the England fans together. Others can cringe all they like!

Jerusalem’s lyrics are basically a series of questions to which the answer is “no”, I’m afraid.

The game is getting so expensive now that the ordinary guy in the street cant afford to go.

I watched a video today of people paying 50, to 100 thousand to go to the world cup. Like everything else its becoming an elite indulgence and the people who support their teams cant afford to enjoy it live themselves , only part of that reason is the players huge wages. The likes of Haaland was probably given all of those bags free...free promotion for the company.

I think you're naive if you don't realise that 86 minutes was tactical timing by Argentina

I am saying they SHOULD try to forget. I see you’ve got a high-minded moralistic stance on footballer pay. Well, this is my equivalent. I’m saying it is a more magnanimous, collaborative, in some cases forgiving thing to support England, even though you didn’t always and were once ABE.

Russia/Ukraine completely distinguishable, as they’re currently engaged in a war. Wars between England and Ireland and Scotland are long in the past.

Mindy , our defence was really good. They didn't get 6 goals did they ! We held them off for 86 mins !!
And it seems to be Messi speciality to pass the ball across the goal like a machine .