England v Germany: ‘England to Redefine their Biggest Rivalry’
In England football hurt is measured in years. There have been 55 since the country’s international zenith in 1966; when Geoff Hurst smashed in three; Nobby Stiles danced a jig and Bobby Moore sat atop shoulders with the World Cup trophy firmly in his grasp. Germany (then West) were there that day, watching as England celebrated. They have been present ever since, regularly making amends for their 4-2 loss; inflicting pain and fostering English resentment. ‘Inevitable’ was the word used by many when a frantic finale to Euro 2020 Group F finally concluded with Joachim Low’s team as England’s last-16 opponents.
Argentina and Portugal:
Good effort Argentina, keep trying Portugal. As far as England’s big-tournament nemesis goes, there’s no competition. Four times England have met Germany in the knockout rounds of a major tournament since 1966. Four times they have lost, often edged out; occasionally unlucky, always anguished. Less a series of defeats, more a recipe for a national existential crisis. Generations of England fans have their own mental play-list of major tournament trauma and grief; with Germany the chief antagonist.
Ed Sheeran watching the game with David Beckham is the best thing I saw today 🤭.#EnglandvGermany #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/0Wtrx0Sujl
— Sandaru (@SandaruChami) June 29, 2021
Wembley like I’ve never seen it! And still over 3 hours to go!!!
Come on @England #Eng #EnglandvGermany #ENGGER #Wembley pic.twitter.com/4p9bsE6fgz
— David Lyon (@Daveyboylyon) June 29, 2021
England vs Germany 🇬🇧 #England #englandsquad #London #Eurocopa2021 #EuroCup2021 #englandfans #EnglandvGermany #UK #harrykane 💪💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/M45PyzsPjx
— Sandeep Madhavan (@iamkvsam) June 29, 2021
Generation Z have Frank Lampard’s shot landing a good foot behind the line at the 2010 World Cup, early Millennials and Gen X are cursed with the double whammy of two penalty shootout losses; of a crestfallen Chris Waddle in 1990, a gutted and grey Gareth Southgate in 1996 and a weird hybrid of two Gazzas, tears flowing as he stretches in vain to divert a ball home. The poor Baby Boomers have all of the above with an added dash of Uwe Seeler’s logic-defying backward header and Gerd Muller’s point-blank volley on a sun-scorched Mexican pitch in 1970. The propensity in some areas for drawing on crass references to the two World Wars and xenophobic cliches about beach towels and sun loungers have not helped.
