Football Digest: Southgate ‘reluctant’ to ponder England’s options
For England fans, football is once again coming home. But to make sure the 2028 European Championship really does deliver, if not specifically “home” to England, then it will be left with one of his close neighbours.
Hallelujah – finally a major tournament bid decision that makes sense to everybody instead of traipsing around on epic quests burning up the ozone layer with air miles or air conditioning systems.
A tournament which was spread right around the continent in an unworkable Covid-spoiled behemoth of an idea conjured up by Michel Platini a year late in 2021 will now make a more manageable trip round the UK and Ireland.
At the same time, World Cups have been moved to opposite ends of the calendar or spread right across the globe, with the 2026 version stretching from Canada to Mexico and the 2030 edition taking place in no fewer than three different continents.
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In 2028, though, fans from all over the continent will have a summer destination where they can congregate, celebrate football, and get relatively simply from match to match – network rail notwithstanding.
The infrastructure is already largely in place, with first-class stadiums offering a traditional matchday experience that is the envy of the rest of the world.
And the bars, streets, offices and home will be filled with sports fans who will add colour to the tournament in every corner as a group of islands who have drifted apart politically in recent years come clanging back together.
The added advantage for the “home” countries is the two extra places for the British or Irish teams who don’t qualify by the standard routes.
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Plenty of potential for proper derbies to bring extra colour to a tournament to remember. Who knows, when the final itself comes around – probably at Wembley but still unconfirmed as of yet – one of the hosts might even lift the trophy.
Just so long as it is England, of course! And with the young players coming, through we’ve got a sliver of a chance
PREDICTED ENGLAND 2028 TEAM: Sam Johnstone; Reece James, Marc Guehi, Levi Colwill, Rico Lewis; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham; Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane, Phil Foden
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