Sunday night, early Monday morning (15.7), will be a big challenge for football fans. At 2 AM (Vietnam time), it's the EURO 2024 final between Spain and England, and at 7 AM, it's the Copa America 2024 final between Argentina and Colombia.
After a month of eating, sleeping with 2 of the world's top football events, it's clear that it's hard to miss such promising finals. But because of that, fans - especially in Asia and Vietnam, will face health pressures, time arrangements for the early morning of the week...
Will football find its way home...
On May 20, 1996, on the occasion of EURO taking place in England, the band The Lightning Seeds, along with comedians Frank Skinner, David Baddiel, released the single Three Lions - often called “It’s Coming Home” or “Football’s Coming Home”, as a way to welcome football back home.
England, long called the home of football, but besides that, the meaning of the song also aimed at the English wanting to end 30 years of waiting for a major title since the 1966 World Cup victory.
The lyrics include: “3 lions on a shirt. Jules Rimet still gleaming. 30 years of hurt never stopped me dreaming. So many jokes, so many sneers. All those “Oh, so near” wear you down through the years…” and the chorus emphasizes many times “football’s coming home”.
The song has been considered the “anthem” of English football since 1996. But in that EURO, the England team could only reach the semi-finals. And nearly 30 years later, they still haven't won another title. Football is still wandering somewhere, not finding its way home, even though it was very close - like the EURO 2020 final at Wembley 3 years ago.
EURO 2024 is another opportunity for the English to do that. And it seems they have great faith, for the second major title, for the first European championship, as this is the first time they have reached the final in a tournament held outside England (EURO 2020 took place in many countries but the final was held in London).
The England team did not have the most convincing journey, they faced many difficulties in the seemingly easiest bracket. Contrary to the image of the Spanish team, but in the final, the story is always different, always unpredictable, and somewhere, people still believe, the resilience, and even luck, are on the side of coach Gareth Southgate's team - who has been heavily criticized for many years.
… or so close yet so far?
Football, and the Hendri Delaunay cup, whether it comes home or not, the England team will still have to go through the final battle with the Spanish team - the opponent is rated higher for what they have shown in Germany. Many people question which team deserves more? The answer, in terms of perception, will of course mostly choose La Roja because of the convincing way they have shown, the way they combine experience and youth, the way they are ready to take risks, ready to fight, sacrifice to protect...
The Spanish team scored the most goals (13), had 6 players receiving the best player award in 6 matches, had 1 player in the top scorers list, 1 player leading the assist list... and other statistics bring them close to perfection.
As the story often goes, “the dreamer” often dies at the crucial moment. And worry for coach Luis de la Fuente's team. However, don't forget, the current El Matador (Bullfighters) are not dreamers, not fragile. They are the team that committed the most fouls (83), received the most cards (15 yellow, 1 red), to show that, if the England team is resilient, they are also full of thorns.
And so, people worry again, those thorns will obstruct and not let football come home...
