Euro 2020/2021

[Sheilbh]

It is absolutely insane. Its weird that you didn't see the same crap in the German game, and there you'd expect it far more. It seems after bullying the little girl things just exploded.

I had two thoughts - one is there maybe were more Germans in the UK and Ireland who could buy tickets in the German fans end of the stadium? So they had fewer English fans pretending to be Germany fans to get tickets. Or maybe the FA/Wembley were just lax - they thought the Germany game would be the challenge but didn't count on England fans (as I say - what gets me is booing the Croatian national anthem ) and significantly increased capacity.

As bad as it was hopefully this has woken them up and they'll be treating tomorrow like they would a club final - or even like a derby. The fact they weren't apparently checking bags is mind-blowing. I've had my bag-checked going into art galleries, restaurants, clubs but not apparently a major sporting evernt in a stadium

[Josquius]

Croatia I kind of understand as they beat us in the wc.
Denmark though... I thought we viewed them pretty positively if at all.

[Valmy]

Croatia I kind of understand as they beat us in the wc.
Denmark though... I thought we viewed them pretty positively if at all.

I am just going to go out on a limb and suggest that there is no logic or reason to it. I seriously doubt these people were big football fans with extensive knowledge of the history of Denmark v England.

[Sheilbh]

I am just going to go out on a limb and suggest that there is no logic or reason to it. I seriously doubt these people were big football fans with extensive knowledge of the history of Denmark v England.

Oh for sure - I think it's as simple as this is how they think they are expressing or showing their support for England, quite possibly for the benefit of/to show off to other fans around them. But there's no wider beef with Croatia or Denmark, or Italy for that matter (the Daily Star's already done a "what did the Italians ever do for us" front page ) which is why I find that worse and weirder.

Scottish and English fans booing each others anthems makes sense, I think most of the world can and should boo the English (and Welsh and Scottish) anthems given we colonised a large chunk of it, similarly (especially with the added football content) I get why England has a rivalry with Germany (and why Germany doesn't care because England aren't normally competitors).

[Valmy]

I don't think it really works that way. All of Latin America doesn't boo the Spanish anthem I don't think.

[Sheilbh]

Sure I just meant you expect spikier behaviour because of rivalries which are normally just pure geography, history or football-based - ofr some combination of the above. None of those apply to England v Croatia or Denmark. They didn't boo Czechia but that may be because their anthem is instrumental so no-one knew when to come in rather than some deeply held respect for Czech culture after a million stag dos in Prague

[Zanza]

https://news.sky.com/story/amp/euro-2020-gareth-southgate-evokes-wartime-spirit-ahead-of-final-urging-england-fans-to-be-proud-of-an-island-our-size-12352710

[...]

Southgate, 50, claimed he believed the 'Blitz spirit' was partially behind England's win against Germany earlier on in the tournament.

"People have tried to invade us and we've had the courage to hold that back," he told the paper.

"You can't hide that energy in the stadium against Germany was because of that. I never mentioned that to the players, but I know that's part of what the story was."

[...]

Ah, finally mentioning the war again. It's only been 75 years. If the Italians win, they can refer to Emperor Claudius I guess.

[Josquius]

Let's be having the stands belting out Bella ciao.

[Sheilbh]

https://news.sky.com/story/amp/euro-2020-gareth-southgate-evokes-wartime-spirit-ahead-of-final-urging-england-fans-to-be-proud-of-an-island-our-size-12352710

[...]

Southgate, 50, claimed he believed the 'Blitz spirit' was partially behind England's win against Germany earlier on in the tournament.

"People have tried to invade us and we've had the courage to hold that back," he told the paper.

"You can't hide that energy in the stadium against Germany was because of that. I never mentioned that to the players, but I know that's part of what the story was."

[...]

Ah, finally mentioning the war again. It's only been 75 years.

I think that interpretation from Sky seems a bit off. He said he didn't mention it to the players. But I think he's right in that observation. It's obvious that part of the energy of an England-Germany game is the war, in the same way as part of the energy of the Ireland-England game is English imperialism. I think it's the same for Germany-Netherlands, no? ("we want/we have our bicycles back" chants etc).

But it wasn't part of what Southgate said to the players - I didn't see it (or 1966) in any of the papers before the Germany game either.

If the Italians win, they can refer to Emperor Claudius I guess.

I think at least the Daily Star is a little bit confused:


But the most anti-Italian thing I've seen is the Star doing lots about how good pineapple on pizza is, and English people on Twitter sharing pictures of the "interpretations" of Italian food they were having for dinner last night

[Duque de Bragança]

Now that's some hideous cultural appropriation, with a bad photoshop job to boot. 

[Sheilbh]

Now that's some hideous cultural appropriation, with a bad photoshop job to boot. 

It makes zero sense except as a pun plus photoshop

Edit:

Let's be having the stands belting out Bella ciao.

Incidentally a song about a partisan fighter is not the one I'd choose to move past the war

[Josephus]

Back to what I was saying the other day, about this being the most important game in Malta.

https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/sports/football/110805/it_finally_comes_home_malta_holds_its_breath_as_italy_face_england_in_euro_final#.YOr3kxNKj64

[Maladict]

But the most anti-Italian thing I've seen is the Star doing lots about how good pineapple on pizza is, and English people on Twitter sharing pictures of the "interpretations" of Italian food they were having for dinner last night

Bit of an own goal, that.

[Sheilbh]

Yeah - some are fine and things I'd cook (Lineker use the wrong type of pasta, got the wrong pasta name and the wrong type of cheese - but it looked tasty). Others are very much self-owns

[celedhring]

My only Italian friend (outside my family) doesn't give a fuck about football but all the food heresy by the English media is triggering him intensely.