We will not be the champions: The bitter disappointment of England at the World Cup

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Given that Canada didn't make the World Cup finals, and given that Canada isn't all that good at international soccer, I'm rooting for England. In fact, I've always rooted for England in international competition, going back to the first World Cup I remember, Spain 1982. I was in England at the time and remember England tying both its second-round games, against West Germany and Spain, and failing to make the semis. I remember Italy winning it all, 3-1 over West Germany. I remember being incredibly disappointed.

And that's generally been the story with England in major international competition since it won the World Cup at home in 1966: far too much hype, excessively high expectations, appalling mediocrity, bitter disappointment.

And it's the same this year, with England tying its first two matches, 1-1 against the U.S. thanks to a horrible goaltending blunder on a weak American shot, and 0-0 against Algeria, a truly pathetic performance against a feisty but underwhelming opponent. A win over Slovenia next week would put them on top of the group, but it's been bitterly disappointing so far, that's for sure, and they certainly don't look like a side that can get very far.

I actually thought England had a chance to win it all, or at least to make it pretty far, with what looked its its strongest team in a good long time, a team coached by a world-class manager, Fabio Capello, and led by some of the world's greatest club players, stars in England's Premiership, the strongest national club league in the world: Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, etc. A lot of the top teams looked vulnerable, even Brazil (young and un-Brazilian) and Argentina (great playmakers up front, bad defence, a crazy manager in Maradona). Even Spain lost its first game. And then Germany lost. And Italy only tied. So why not England?

Well, because it's England. And I know you know what I mean, if you follow England, and if you're a fan of England yourself. The names on the backs of the jerseys change, but some things remain pathetically the same.

As if to drive home the point, I found this fantastic tweet earlier this evening by xpre552 (re-tweeted by someone I follow):

The England team visited an orphanage in Cape Town today. "It's heartbreaking to see their sad little faces with no hope" said Jamal aged 6.

Brilliant. And hilarious. And, given what England is going through, absolutely perfect.

Allow me to deal with all the bitter disappointment with a bit of irony. Here's Green Day performing Queen's "We Are the Champions" at the 2004 Reading Festival.

I have no confidence at this point that England will keep on fighting till the end. But, come the next match, I'll be cheering the boys on anyway, hoping against hope, or at least against history (since '66), that all the bitter disappointment will wash away in a sea of glory.

Because that, too, is part of being an England fan.