Come Saturday, it will be 73 days since the pain and shame of Atlanta, when England, from a winning position in a World Cup semi-final, decided to do an England, and sit on their lead. What followed resembled a slow-motion crash test dummies video, Enzo Fernández first summoning the ghost of Andy Möller at Euro 96 with his high-camp cavorting celebration, and then Lautaro Martínez, unmarked, nodding home. Englishmen across the globe slumped, Croydon BoxPark fell deathly silent. Allowing Lionel Messi the freedom of Georgia on the inside-right channel had turned out to be a critical oversight. Whoops.
As an avid Manchester United fan, I would love to have a clump of the hallowed turf on display in my living room for daily worship purposes (yesterday’s Football Daily, full email edition). However, what are the chances of my getting a piece that isn’t covered in spit and nasal blowings? I’d say highly unlikely, so I think I’d respectfully give it a miss” – Nigel Green.
I wonder if Harry Kane’s desire to play in the NFL is because someone told him that as a kicker in American football every time an opposing player touched him it would be a penalty?” – Pat Condreay.
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