Boos and laser attacks: England is ashamed of this “idiotic minority”

• An idiotic minority whistles at the Danes’ anthem, a single fan points the laser pointer at Denmark’s keeper at the moment of the penalty kick: England is ashamed of it, says football commentator Kevin Hatchard.
• The country is divided. The supporters of Brexit are to blame for this.
• A young national team, which is reaching for the European title after leaving the EU, sends a unifying message from the green lawn.

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In life, we often have to choose whether to focus on the positive or the negative. For those who are currently discussing the England fans who misbehaved during the dramatic and exhausting European Championship semi-final against Denmark, it is always important to underline that we are talking about an idiotic minority.

The boos at the Danish national anthem, the laser attack on the Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and the occasional rabble against Danish fans in Wembley put the English fan base and the whole country to shame.

Also read: Olaf Thon’s column: “In this scene, fair play was trampled underfoot”

Still, I would like to believe that these spots do not tarnish even a thousandth of the true picture. There is hope that this dizzying run by the English national team could be a unifying force in a divided country that was drained by Brexit and everything that followed, right up to their very first European Championship final.

It is very clear that social problems and inequalities will not simply vanish into thin air if Harry Kane actually lifted a piece of silver into the sky on Sunday. However, it would be the culmination of a team that England can be proud of.

The big comparison: Italy fights against England for the European Championship crown

The rainbow press will have to apologize to England’s young stars

Young footballers were often demonized in England: they spend too much money, they have no idea about normal people, and they are bad role models for young people. They were easy prey for the rainbow press. Under the leadership of Gareth Southgate, this team helped bring these stories to an end.

Also read: English leotard for a crying girl

Marcus Rashford’s drive to fight poverty and inequality has rightly hit the headlines. The kneeling before kick-off is also typical of the efforts of this team to initiate positive change – despite ridiculous attempts by some people to denigrate this sign as a kind of Marxist arms roll call. They heard the boos and the antics and cross shots from the right corner and they just ignored them. It’s your stage, your platform, your chance to make a difference.

Why it’s different this time

TV expert and former international Gary Neville was right when he pointed out the UK government’s lack of honest leaders, although of course some immediately advised him to “keep politics out of football”. While this truth may hurt some, the argument has been proven to be correct. Obviously, if the government is caught fooling about lie after lie, a kind and considerate leader like Southgate is all the better off.

Also read: Atomic Kitten reassigns Hit to Gareth Southgate

The fact that Interior Minister Priti Patel dismisses the kneeling as a “policy of gestures” only to cling to the success of the team like a stolen coat shows the cowardly opportunism against which England’s young heroes fight in a post-truth society have to. For those of us who are ashamed of Brexit, it was nice to see that England can be represented with a message of tolerance, hope and humility – instead of bombastic nationalism.

But let’s get to football itself. England played with a serenity and unity that was almost terrifying. With the finish line in sight against exhausted Danes, England remained in possession of the ball, with a maturity and confidence that even longtime fans had never seen before. Usually Spain or Italy played like that, but not England.

These are England’s heroes

There are enough heroes. The central defenders Luke Shaw and Kyle Walker passed every test, they eliminated Joshua Kimmich, Robin Gosens and Joakim Maehle and also enriched the offensive. Harry Maguire is a defensive colossus, imperious in the air and cunning with the ball at his feet. Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice provided energy and strength in midfield and contributed to an incredible defensive record.

Raheem Sterling, who grew up within sight of Wembley, knocked a knot in the legs of every defender throughout the tournament. His pass to Kane against Ukraine, his trauma-forgetting goal against Germany and his determined run that led to the penalty whistle against Denmark were all incredibly important moments on England’s journey to immortality.

Also read: English fan lets Wembley tickets expire and prefers to donate stem cells

Kane, lead-footed in the group stage and not in a good mood, came to life exactly when it mattered – as all world-class strikers do.

His smart moves and ability to drop back could be crucial against Italy’s seasoned center-backs.

The resurgence of Italian football

Against the resurrected Italy England now has her toughest opponent in front of her chest. Roberto Mancini has lifted a nation that was on the ground after the missed World Cup 2018. He gave the ancient Italian principles a modern twist. He has formed a team that defends solidly and works breathtakingly hard – and yet wants to play attractive football. Mancini freely admits that his own volatility has cost him a chance to really shine as a player on international soil. He’s a man on a mission. It might be a cliché, but the Italian team really feels like a club team where everyone is pulling in the same direction. No divas, no childish tantrums.

Also read: Here you can see the European Championship final between Italy and England

The midfield is beautifully balanced. Jorginho is the metronome, Marco Verratti the liberation artist, who can maneuver himself out of the tightest of spaces. And if one could somehow bundle the energy of Nicolo Barrella, coal-fired power plants would be a thing of the past.

Federico Chiesa on the attack is a great team player, one who still goes one better under pressure. Lorenzo Insigne is a little rocket who is still a goal away from being loved all over Italy with such fervor as has long been the case in Naples.

Also read: For the first time, ARD has a woman portray a European Championship final on the radio

In any case, it will be a tight finale, the perfect end to a month of joy. England want to finally end their 55-year waiting period for a big title. But the way the team and England have presented themselves so far, the players and their manager may have already won a victory.

Also read: The guest commentary in the original English

The 16th European Championship was extraordinary even before it began: postponed by a year, and spread over the entire continent and – Baku – beyond. The games then delivered the full range of emotions. We remember the stories that are told over and over again.