The quiet dignity of England’s football team was in marked contrast to the prime minister’s cynical opportunism
By any normal standards, England’s performance in the European Championship was outstanding. The team reached heights it hadn’t for over half a century – and its off-field behaviour was dignified and sportsmanlike, a credit to England’s remarkable leader, Gareth Southgate. At the final whistle, the contest was a draw. The aftermath was a tragedy, requiring a “result” from a penalty shootout. This involved the ritual evisceration of young players’ emotions on the altar of entertainment.
Related: England may have lost, but Southgate’s team shows us the nation we can be | Hugh Muir
