Football can be cruel in certain circumstances, none more so than seeing a teenager with his head in his hands thinking that he has let his country down.
Five minutes separated Harry Maguire and Bukayo Saka’s penalty kicks in the UEFA Euro 2020 Final shootout for England – five minutes during which scenes of jubilation quickly disintegrated into a collective nightmare.
Football was supposed to come home, it has been for some time, but the gods of fate had other ideas. For long periods of the final, England looked close to achieving the unthinkable.
A second-minute goal from Luke Shaw gave the best of starts to the Three Lions, but they retreated into their den too early, allowing the Italians to overwhelm – and eventually – catch up to them.
Leonardo Bonucci scored the equalizer, and he would score from the spot too. Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Saka were the unfortunate ones, and Southgate could only stand and watch, this particular sight of despair all too familiar for him.
For the courage you showed.
— England (@England) July 12, 2021
For the way you played.
For the next generation you’ve inspired.
We’re so proud of you, lads. Keep your heads held high. pic.twitter.com/2ERlVShSCp
All is not lost, though. For the first time in decades, the English team has the backing of almost the entire nation. People don’t see them as failures but as heroes, slain, unfortunately, right before their greatest triumph. So what does the future hold for this group of players?