Why did the England players put medals on and then take them off?

[Opalfeet]

I'm intrigued 🤔

All the posts about ' sore losers'.

Why are they being held to a standard higher than any other team?. Pretty much every football team that comes second in a tournament removes their medals immediately

But no, we need to criticise them by stealth because of disappointment that they lost

Bloody hell !

@LouiseBelchersBunnyEars

It’s funny how all this unacceptable behaviour is only noticed when England do it🙄

So true - you think Italy would've done any different if they'd lost? Try watching a bit more sport, not just the big games once every few years

@Opalfeet

Oh yes the Italian played dirty, every match I've seen them play in euro or world cup I've witnessed very similar behaviour. That at least is one of the things the England team cannot be accused of, they always seem to play fair...no dives etc.

Bloody hell no dives!

I think the England team have played well and are excellent sports and not in any way ' sore losers' but saying they never try to get a free kick or penalty awarded.to them without cause is laughable. Every player does that at some point.

They congratulated Italy and accepted their medals, they didn't stomp off of the pitch like toddlers. I wouldn't call them sore losers, just young men who were deeply disappointed. Maybe we could show them some grace and understanding instead of judging them

When @toocold54 said Them taking it off when it was barely on their heads was rude and disrespectful. They could have waited until they were off the podium to do it. it sums up what I was thinking. It was so obviously done and even if they didn't want to wear them but hold them or put them in their pockets, it should have been done OFF the podium, or else the people awarding them should have just handed them their medals and not bothered to put them over their heads.

I understand the sentiment about not being good enough but when we teach kids "It's not about the winning, it's about the taking part" that has to be seen from the little leagues right up to the competitors that take part in the World Cup and other international competitions.

Ah so this post is a ‘subtle’ bash the England team the day following their loss. Nice try OP with the faux ‘what does this mean?’ If you want to gloat then at least own it and come up with something less transparent.

What a disgraceful thread.

All you 'never, ever watch football but I'll jump on your bandwagon' types need to sod off and leave the game alone.

I mean, you will anyway now unless we do well in Qatar, in which case you'll start up this nonsense all over again.

@bumblingbovine49

All the posts about ' sore losers'. Why are they being held to a standard higher than any other team?. Pretty much every football team that comes second in a tournament removes their medals immediately

But no, we need to criticise them by stealth because of disappointment that they lost

Bloody hell !

This was done while they were still on camera and still on the podium. I'm genuinely not holding them to a higher standard that another team. I don't remember seeing any other team whip their medals off so quickly before. If the Italian team had come second and behaved in this way, I would have raised the question why they took their medals off so quickly and while still on camera. I think it's poor sportsmanship and they should keep their medals on until they return to the dressing room and then they can do what they want with them.

I don't believe the question is anti the English football team- I find it a disappointing culture that ANY team who comes second, out of any league, or sport, therefore beating multiple other teams, acts like this. That the idea that it's ok to be a poor loser with little grace is ok- regardless of what the nationality is. As others have pointed out- this isn't down at the Olympic- second and third don't get their medals, and then take them off immediately because they did t come first. They are proud of their achievement, as they should be, of placing in an elite event and managing to beat almost every other team. I do see it as poor sportsmanship, and a poor example, irregardless of the team that does it.

They were disappointed and it was their way of saying that they felt they should have won and had entered the tournament to be winners, not second place. Give the lads a break ffs.

@Terrazzo

It boggles my mind that playing football is meant to be good for kids - sportsmanship, resilience, respect haven't seen any of that demonstrated by these grown adults!

Really, you haven’t seen any of that? None ? Where have you been looking ? You’re seeing what you want to see based on your own preconceptions and prejudice. Football is good for children. To be part of a club takes commitment ( turning up for training in all weather, week after week, year after year) and resilience to keep up that commitment through good and bad spells. Behaviour is really good as you would know if you had any actual knowledge or involvement. They shake hands from an early age and anyone not showing that respect for the opposition or the referee does not last long in any club. I have taught many boys involved in grassroots clubs and academies. Without exception, the discipline was evident. I had to fill in regular reports for academy boys. The clubs wanted to know of any slip in behaviour, attitude to schoolwork and homework etc. They are a bunch of young men who have achieved so much and carried themselves so well. They have achieved on and off the pitch. Football exposes some of the nasty underbelly of society in terms of race and class. The players and the game become ciphers for people’s prejudices. You are the one embarrassing yourself. Your prejudice jumps off the page.

I think it's just a shame that it's not seen for the huge achievement it is - like getting a silver at the Olympics. They probably feel like they've let the whole country down which couldn't be further from the truth. They were amazing and hopefully Gareth Southgate is the man to make them see it having been through a penalty situation himself.

They lost and they really didn’t want to. It’s the passion required to play at that level.

I echo what others have said about Wimbledon, which stood in interesting contrast to this. Top-flight tennis players have no less 'passion' than top footballers. Arguably it's harder (or at least comes with different pressures) for individual sports as they have no team on the pitch/court with them. England behaved unsportingly and disrespectfully. Southgate is doing a commendable job in terms of diversity/not tolerating hate and racism etc, but he's still got a lot of work to do on this aspect of things.

"Wimbledon is so much more civilised in comparison"

@Horehound - Quite agree! And it's only on for 2 weeks of the year, not every single weekend, some week nights, summer, winter, spring and autumn!

Regarding Qatar - just wait for the reasons why they won't do well there - it's tooooo hot to play, it's not faaaair!

In football, it's pretty traditional to not want the runners up medal.
In other sports, silver and bronze are still prized assets, but not football.
Rugby is similar - losing in a final is not much consolation.

I don't think it's unsporting, I think it's just symbolic and a reminder of how close they came, but a reminder of losing.

It's unfair to be critical.

@LookItsMeAgain

When *@toocold54* said Them taking it off when it was barely on their heads was rude and disrespectful. They could have waited until they were off the podium to do it. it sums up what I was thinking. It was so obviously done and even if they didn't want to wear them but hold them or put them in their pockets, it should have been done OFF the podium, or else the people awarding them should have just handed them their medals and not bothered to put them over their heads.

I understand the sentiment about not being good enough but when we teach kids "It's not about the winning, it's about the taking part" that has to be seen from the little leagues right up to the competitors that take part in the World Cup and other international competitions.

We don’t actually teach children that. I have heard it said by some teachers but no one with actual involvement in competitive sports. It’s reductive and silly and many children would see that. Nobody should enter a competitive game not thinking it’s about the winning. It’s also important to teach respect for the opposition. The team showed that in the congratulations at the match end.

@MagicSummer

Regarding Qatar - just wait for the reasons why they won't do well there - it's tooooo hot to play, it's not faaaair!

I actually think the England team are likely to do very well in the world cup. they came 4th last time and 2nd in these Euros - can you explain what you mean?

As for 'not good for kids?' -

Give a ball to two children and they'll play with it. Usually by kicking it. Football is such a natural sport and enjoyed the world over with very little facilities needed.

It unites far more than it divides, and even the division is a result of human behaviour, not of football itself.

Strip away all the prejudice, the money at the highest level, the fancy stadiums, the corruption in FIFA and UEFA, and get back to basics - just children and a ball. It's a healthy, amazing sport. It saves lives.

@MagicSummer

Regarding Qatar - just wait for the reasons why they won't do well there - it's tooooo hot to play, it's not faaaair!

What a strange comment. Have you heard a lot of whinging from the team and management this tournament, or in the last World Cup?

It's unfair to be critical.
No it isn't. These are grown men in a very privileged position. They're surrounded by the best coaches, trainers, psychologists etc money can buy. If they choose to behave ungraciously I think they can and should expect a bit of criticism.

Wimbledon MAY be more civilised. It's also particularly difficult for poorer kids to participate in. It's utterly middle class, like F1.
It's a great sport, but it's simple not accessible to huge swathes of children.

Anyone here who knows their football, knows the actual reason the medals were removed.

Those who don’t know their football, read and learn from those that do.

Disclaimer: I don’t know much about football, so I’ve taken my own advice, and understand why it was done, and accept and support it fully.

They should show they are the bigger men by keeping them on

But they're not "bigger men" - like so many footballers, here and elsewhere, they're a bunch of overpaid, petulant prima donnas

At least other nations' teams occasionally win a major tournament though ...

What a petty, heartless thread about very young men, some of them teenagers, who have shown incredible dignity, maturity and intelligence. Unfortunately, it was obvious that all the adulation for the last few days was fake and "fans" would turn on them if they lost. They have suffered appalling racist abuse and they have behaved with dignity throughout. I am so sad for those boys. Disgusting.