It wasn’t the fairy-tale finish it wanted, or was so close to achieving, but its performance, on and off the pitch, unequivocally lifted the hearts of this soccer-mad nation after a brutal year, while at the same time prompting discussions about a new vision of Englishness in the post-Brexit era.
Boris Johnson, the British prime minister whose passion for soccer was previously unknown, was among many politicians who in recent days loudly cheered on the home team. He tweeted the result was “heartbreaking” but that Southgate and his team “have done the nation proud and deserve great credit.”
Labour Party lawmaker David Lammy tweeted: “Heartbroken we lost, but still so proud of this team. They are the best of England in all its talent, teamwork and inclusivity. A couple more years of hurt will never stop us dreaming.”
The Three Lions lost, 3-2, in a nerve-shredding shootout after playing Italy to a 1-1 draw. Three of their youngest players — Marcus Rashford, 23; Jadon Sancho, 21; and Bukayo Saka, 19 — failed to convert.
After decades of failure and underachievement since England’s last major championship at the 1966 World Cup, some dared to dream that this could really be the year when England triumphed. But 2021 was not the year “football is coming home” — a refrain from a song that has become something of an alternative national anthem in recent weeks.
England had a stellar start when it scored in the second minute. Luke Shaw’s finish off a picture-perfect cross was the fastest goal scored in a European Championship final.
Seven-year-old Prince George, in blue blazer and tie, whooped it up. His expression, which was something akin to gleeful astonishment, seemed to sum up the mood of many in England at the moment.
David Beckham, a former England captain, was also in attendance and turned to actor Tom Cruise and gave him a fist bump.
But the euphoria didn’t last. England appeared to lose its snap in the second half, and Italy tied the score at 1 with a goal from Leonardo Bonucci in the 67th minute.
And so four weeks of tournament play came down to penalty kicks. Announcers described the last moments as unbearable and advised viewers to hide behind their sofas if needed. The English fans at Wembley covered their eyes, held their heads.
Few things unite England like football — during the semifinals, nearly half the nation tuned in to watch a 2-1 victory over Denmark. To say the country was hyped about the final and the possibility that its 55-year curse could be broken was an understatement.
In the lead-up to Sunday’s match, Queen Elizabeth II penned a short note to Southgate, sending her good wishes and paying tribute to the England team’s “spirit, commitment and pride.” Houses and pubs and fans around the country draped themselves in the St George’s Cross flag, the flag of England that really only comes out en masse during big soccer tournaments.
Nigella Lawson, a celebrity chef, tweeted a recipe of her “Anglo-Italian trifle” with the caption, “opposed in football; united in food.” Other English fans showed less sportsmanlike qualities, tweeting messages about how they were putting ketchup on their pasta.
Thousands of fans started early Sunday. People started queuing outside pubs early in the day for the 8 p.m. kickoff and were allowed to stay until 11:15 p.m. The government extended opening hours Sunday night in case the game went into extra time, which it did. Initially, many of the street scenes had a festive, carnival feel, with full-voiced singing, cheering and honking. But as the beer flowed and hours passed by, some of the scenes turned ugly.
Ticketless fans tried to rush through the gates at Wembley as security rushed in to stop them. Wembley said that a “small group” of people got into the stadium.
In Leicester Square, fans threw bottles and missiles. King’s Cross station was evacuated after a fire alarm was set off by England fans setting off flares.
Later, on social media, some supporters directed racist comments toward the players who failed to convert their penalty kicks, drawing condemnation from England’s Football Association.
The London Metropolitan Police said they had made 45 arrests while policing the final. The police also tweeted, “Nail-biting night, commiserations #England.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted his thanks to the team. “You have inspired and united our nation both on and off the pitch at every turn. We could not be any prouder of what you have achieved.”
“We still believe,” he added.
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