England wakes up to reality from world cup dreams
WeВ’re used to near-misses in England. The cynicism, the hope that accompanies early wins, the rising fever as the national side goes from strength to strength, or fluke to fluke, and ecstasy as they make it into the final. You can almost hear the nation holding its breath. The excitement builds impossibly until the entire population is in a state of frenzy, incapable of doing anything productive for the days building up to the big match.
On the day itself, there is a whiff of celebration in the air, it feels like a national holiday. Messages of good luck and support are delivered by politicians and monarchs. Thousands call in sick or just donВ’t turn up for work, but itВ’s understood that this is an exceptional occasion.
The bets pour in until the last minute, hundreds of thousands spent down the bookies predicting the outcome, the score, the first striker, the second, best player, and countless other details.
And finally, when the whistle blows, it all comes crashing down, and the nation is left nursing its wounds, grieving for what might have been.
It happens every time - and yet we never give up hope.
The only smiling faces on this depressing Sunday can be seen on UK bookmakers who are heaving a huge sigh of relief at their near-miss. England fansВ’ unshakeable faith meant that bookies would have had to pay out millions of pounds if England had won the trophy.
