Eternal Losers

2026-07-16 13:35 © CHINE NOUVELLE/SIPA

I feel sorry for England fans, but I used to be one of them too. Yesterday, I also wanted to support them more for the sake of greater diversity among final participants, considering the recent championship history. The potential English revenge against the Spaniards after the lost 2024 European Championship final had potential, and now we will see a different final – the "Finalissima," which never took place this year.

It can be said that the English are in a kind of golden era lately – in 8 years, they managed to reach four semifinals in 5 tournaments. They were always just a step away from the Holy Grail, yet the trophy cabinet remains empty.

Before 2018, when the English reached the World Cup semifinals, the situation was generally poor. The team of Lampard, Terry, Beckham, Rooney, Scholes, Gerrard, Ashley Cole, and other legendary footballers achieved nothing and never even reached the finals. Still, nothing has changed – the trophies are still absent.

This is the greatest football nation, which invented this game. It’s a football nation that many partially dislike due to the hype that English players always bring before championships.

The new national team coach Thomas Tuchel is a winner in his career, but even he caught Southgate's virus and showed cowardice.

In the last 3 of 4 tournaments, where they managed to reach the decisive quarter, they lost the advantage, linked only to a loser mentality. In 2018, in the World Cup semifinals against Croatia, when the team was led forward by Kieran Trippier, they retreated, and ultimately in extra time, hope was killed by Mario Mandžukić's strike. The Croatians made history while the "Three Lions" were left confused. In 2021, when the European Championship final was played, the English were very close again after Harry Kane's goal, but Leonardo Bonucci's strike and Southgate's partial decision to throw in inexperienced Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho for the penalty shootout was the end for England. Five years later, the scenario was similar.

Anthony Gordon brought England closer to the World Cup final, and then Tuchel started throwing defenders onto the pitch; there was an attempt to park the bus, but when you have 39-year-old Lionel Messi against you, who still works fantastically with his feet, it brings nothing but problems. Again, and again, and again.

Clearly, this year we saw how "Arsenal" in the Premier League ended their title drought, last year we saw the struggles of clubs like "Tottenham," "Newcastle," "Bologna" come to an end, and there is also the basketball example with the legendary New York "Knicks" franchise. Eventually, those streaks end. When you are constantly close, you eventually succeed, but not now, England, as it still reeks of a loser mentality, unfortunately.