Wembley has never seen such a scream. When Harry Kane’s goal (104th minute) shot the English national team into the European Championship final for the first time in history, the national stadium was transformed into the largest open-air disco in the country. The majority of the approximately 65,000 spectators indulged in a frenzy of happiness that they had probably never experienced in this form before.
For the almost fateful appearance of the English in the 2-1 after extra time against Denmark in the EM semi-finals, the population left no stone unturned in order to be able to be there live in the stadium at the last minute. After the activation of a few remaining tickets, the website collapsed due to the excessive demand. Some supporters tried to pretend to be Danish electoral legionnaires in the hope of gaining access to the opposing ticket contingent. Astronomical prices were called on the black market; even tickets for fan meetings at famous city spots were almost impossible to buy the days before. The English have never really lost their passion for the national team, despite the many dark days in the past – just as little as the hope that one day would be their day.
Several hours before kick-off, the crowd gathered around the stadium on Wednesday, and the thrill increased with every minute that approached the game. On Wembley Way, people paid homage to head coach Gareth Southgate with the looping love song “Whole Again”, where Southgate is of course the one who turns everyone’s heads. Almost everyone on the island wants to be a Southgate right now. The Times therefore printed a self-test from which it was possible to see how close one’s own actions would come in certain situations to the national model. The most impressive acoustic homage to Southgate was given shortly before the start of the game, before the pent-up anticipation was released in the party hit “Sweet Caroline”. The chorus incited the continuously standing fans to reach out their hands, touch and scream the wonderful life. The uninhibited atmosphere gave the feeling that at any moment Wembley would rise like a hot air balloon with around 65,000 people.
The island media tried to achieve such a situation with inflated headlines throughout the week. “Ready to roar,” headlined the patriotic Telegraph, in the more conservative one Daily Mail read: “Let’s go to England! Let’s make history!” With a poem-like verse, in turn, the Times to the readership: “You made us proud, put a smile on our faces and inspired us to dream. It is time, England, today to take the final step.”
For most people, however, this final step seemed to have been taken before the tough dispute with Denmark even began. On Tuesday, for example, Prime Minister Boris Johnson loudly announced that the pub curfew on the Sunday of the final for the serving of alcoholic beverages would be postponed by three quarters of an hour to 11.15 p.m., so that a possible extension or even a penalty shoot-out would be covered. The broadcaster BBC secured the probably real coup early on to welcome the very great Sir Geoff Hurst in the stadium broadcast. The three-time goal getter and scorer of the famous Wembley goal in 4-2 over Germany after extra time in the 1966 World Cup final, the only title win to date, is a historical figure in English football. From the starting XI, besides Hurst, 79, only Sir Bobby Charlton, George Cohen and Roger Hunt are still alive – but new title heroes could be added in a few days.
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