The country’s men’s national soccer team lost to Italy on Sunday in a penalty shootout in the final of the European Championship at Wembley Stadium, but its fans hailed the team as doing its nation proud. Manager Gareth Southgate’s young squad made it to the final of a major international tournament for the first time in 55 years.
It wasn’t the fairy-tale finish it wanted, or was so close to achieving, but its performance, on and off the pitch, unequivocally lifted the hearts of this soccer-mad nation after a brutal year. The tournament also prompted discussions about a new vision of Englishness in the post-Brexit era, with this team symbolizing diversity and inclusivity.