sports
Enjoying the World Cup? Well it’s time for England, but this is a team less weighed down by its past
Tuchel’s multicultural squad are less burdened by narrative than previous teams and can embrace the chance to live in the moment
TL;DR
- The World Cup has exceeded expectations with fun and sparky opening matches.
- Football's ability to captivate and distract remains strong, even when hosted by 'despotic regimes'.
- England's upcoming match against Croatia marks their first proper game in two years.
- The England team's squad composition significantly reflects the nation's diverse history, with many players eligible to play for other countries.
- The author argues that interpreting the squad's diversity as 'betrayal' ignores historical realities.
- The World Cup serves as a lens to understand global history, borders, and the legacy of colonialism and trade.
- The current England team, under Tuchel, is seen as more pragmatic and less obsessed with defining 'Englishness' than previous iterations.
- Expectations for England are moderate, with a semi-final being a strong achievement.
- The team's ability to adapt to episodic play and capitalize on set pieces could be an advantage.