The English are over the moon. You’d think England had won the World Cup. Celebrations began no sooner than Eric Dier sunk his penalty into the Colombian net on Tuesday night. It was England’s first knockout win in 12 years in a World Cup. A time for catharsis.
Check out the video clips on social media. Englishmen around the world partied through the night, rejoicing at their victory in Russia. It may be only the round of 16, but it meant much more than that. I know England’s pain, so I understand their unbridled joy.
After Bobby Moore led them to their only World Cup triumph in 1966, this was only their seventh knockout win in a major tournament. England have repeatedly faltered at the World Cup and the European Championships.
Most of their campaigns came to grief in penalty shootouts. Germany in Turin, Italy (1990), Argentina in Saint-Etienne, France (1998), and Portugal in Gelsenkirchen, Germany (2006) slew the Three Lions. They tripped on penalties at the European Championships too, in 1996 (Wembley), 2004 (Lisbon) and 2012 (Kiev).
I’ve watched Stuart Pearce miss a penalty in Espana ’90 and roar after making amends in Euro ’96. But Pearce’s moment of redemption made way for Gareth Southgate’s misery. Twenty-two years after that penalty trauma, the current coach’s pain must have been eased by the victory at Moscow.
More than 24 million people in Britain tuned into television and watched the 1-0 lead evaporate in the dying seconds of the Colombia match. I could only empathise with them when extra time gave way for the tie-breaker. In those nerve-wracking moments, visions of a familiar tragedy loomed. Jordan Pickford’s superb save – the first by an England goalkeeper since David Seaman in 1998 – and Dier’s winning penalty scripted a new ending, setting off wild celebrations across England and around the world.
Sweden awaits in Samara on Saturday. Can England win the quarterfinal? The victory at Spartak Stadium must have done wonders to their self-belief. And that opens up new possibilities.
England supporters are daring to dream. Can the Three Lions make a run for the final? Is football coming home? Your guess is as good as mine.
