Are England the goodies?
Kai Marshall
In a scene familiar to many millennials or gen-z’ers, David Mitchell and Robert Webb stand in a Nazi bunker and plot to defend against an incoming Russian invasion.
In the midst of war, David Mitchell stops and asks his comrade, Hans, “are we the baddies?” after noticing that their caps depict a skull. I was reminded of this sketch/meme after pondering on England’s upcoming semi-final against geopolitical rivals Argentina.
When Messi inevitably storms the English trenches and Lisandro Martinez rains his surprisingly good medium-range artillery-style rockets over the head of Big Dan Burn, I have started to think that Anglophiles will genuinely be able to ask themselves “hold on.. Are we the goodies?”
Now, I have had a lot of fun over the course of this tournament adopting Congolese, Mexican, Panamanian, Croatian, Ghanaian and Norwegian heritage.
When I found out it was going to be the Argentinians, rather than the Swiss, standing in England’s way I was excited. It’s Messi’s first competitive game against England and possibly, England’s first competitive game of the tournament.
I have enjoyed watching England rue the decision to drop Palmer and Foden while Zlatan Ibrahimovic has said in his stateside TV coverage that Madueke makes all the wrong choices on the field. With that in mind, I have been licking my lips at the prospect of an England defeat.
On paper, then, this matchup is tasty for several specifically football reasons. However, the unspoken rule that politics must overshadow every aspect of our lives was enforced by Argentina’s foreign minister who, you guessed it, has made a Michael Sheen-esque motivational speech (in the form of a letter in a newspaper) supporting his country’s claim to Las Malvinas, the Falklands, stating: “Our claim will not be relinquished, resigned, or abandoned. The Falkland Islands are history, territory, sea, memory, and destiny. They are a promise between generations. They are the voice of a nation that knows how to wait without giving up and knows how to demand without surrendering.”
The UK government directly responded to the claim that Falkland Islanders are “artificially implanted by the occupying power”. In a 2013 vote, the islanders overwhelmingly backed keeping their status as a British overseas territory. Still, the minister argued that no poll organised “unilaterally” by the UK can have “legal effect”. Asked about the remarks, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Falkland Islanders are British with a right to determine their own future. The UK’s position is clear. The islanders have repeatedly expressed their wish to remain a British overseas territory, and their right to self-determination is paramount.”
With the Falklands debate raging on and England playing Argentina in a World Cup knockout match you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d accidentally wandered into a time machine that has taken you back to the 1980s.
It should be said that Argentina’s players and staff have hardly been banging the war drums themselves. Scaloni has attempted to strip the fixture of its political baggage, while Argentine veterans have urged fans to focus on football. The problem is that, by this point, the political circus has become rather difficult to ignore.
As mentioned in a previous article, I am disappointed beyond belief that Wales have not made it to this year’s world cup. The current Rugby Union Nations Championship doesn’t really hit the spot in the way a Welsh World Cup run would.
Argentina, perhaps, due to our own slightly less controversial colony over there, might be the closest we can get to Welsh participation. It’s another reason, not that many need one, to be rooting against England once again. There’s even a space in Cardiff’s Clwb Ifor Bach for Argentinians to watch the match.
Tarnished
For me, the inclusion of geopolitics into this World Cup has tarnished my Argentine support. The President of the United States has used the FIFA President’s grubby tendencies to his advantage and gained the USA an (ultimately futile but no less underhanded) advantage by overturning a red card, a concession not provided to England’s Jarrel Quansah.
It has also been suggested that match officials are giving preferential treatment to Argentina, with Switzerland’s Manuel Akanji saying this after their quarter-final match: “Every little thing was called against us. Every dive and every foul by the Argentinians went unpunished. I don’t usually say anything against the officials, but I’ve never experienced such a one-sided game as today” alongside Lautaro Martinez escaping a caution for jumping the barrier in celebration of a goal.
That’s not to say that referees are deliberately handing Argentina an advantage but, in the current climate surrounding this World Cup, it is very unfortunate that refereeing controversies, which have always been a part of the game, have the world looking at referees with scepticism.
On the other hand, England have genuinely had to work for their results so far, especially in their knockout games. Jude Bellingham has been a genuine joy to watch, his hard work at both ends of the pitch being emblematic of a realer and fairer approach to the game.
Tuchel’s pitch side passion and fury which leaked into the post-match interview is a refreshing injection of personality in a world of media trained sports people and is a direct contrast to Don Carlos’ calm and collected approach to his sinking Brazilian ship.
Hand of God
There is also the obvious redemption arc 40 years after the Hand Of God incident. Finally, a chance to exorcize that most famous of ghosts.
For me, politics has dragged the beautiful game through the mud somewhat. Whilst the action on the pitch has, across the board, been pretty exceptional, the last thing football fans needed was another reason to get furious.
There is enough to be annoyed or angry at in the world and, while there is a place for politics in sport, there is a huge extent to which constantly having to acknowledge extra-sporting events is exhausting.
So, if I watch the match and find myself with my fingers crossed for a Pickford spillage maybe I need to look at the skull on my cap and ask…. are we the baddies?
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England are the goodies this time. You’d also think the Argies would be more thankful – our victory in the war led to the fall of their foul military junta (mothers of the disapeared etc). Also interesting that we were there in the 18th century before Argentina even existed as an independent country. Anyway, self determination for the islanders etc.
They also harboured thousands of Nazis who escaped after WWII, including Eichman, architect of the Final Solution.
The English will never be the goodies. The Empire and slavery have seen to that.
And many would counter that by suggesting “stopping slavery, the West Africa squadron, standing up to history’s greatest evil in 39, Shakespeare, Austen, Darwin, the enlightenment, The Beatles, computing, railways, the Internet etc” .
Yet it took William Wilberforce his entire life campaigning to end slavery and when the first Abolishment of Slavery Bill was defeated street parties were held in English Seaport Cities.
Yes England may have been the first Colonial Power to Abolish slavery yet the Slave owners were very well compensated and the former slaves recived nothing.
As for 39 wasn’t it England and France at the end of WW1 which emposed harsh and severe economic restrictions on Germany.
These restrictions were tailor made to allow someone like Hitler to rise to power.
Irrelevant. England should be proud of their efforts to stop slavery (and stop slavery in the US lets not forget). Whatever the origins of WWII, the fact is, England (and the UK) stood alone and fought. A hugely important event in the history of hummanity.
Absolute BS you obviously haven’t read up on William Wilberforce and the Clapham Sect on their uphill battle against the English Establishment to end slavery. Even after slavery was abolished in The British Empire they still continued the subtle approach by moving Indentured Servants from India to the Carribbean,Africa, Malaysia and Fiji. You obviously didn’t read my post properly and the reason Hitler came to power was due to the Economic Restrictions on Germany.If I am wrong then why did the allies adopt a different approach after WWII and help rebuild Japan and The Federal Republic of Germany? Answer to… Read more »
But, as much as you hate it, they did end slavery and led the way in stopping it in a huge range of countries and places (often by brute force). And yes, they did, with Wales and Scotland, defend the free world – the best of hummanity – against Adolf and chums. A remarkable country with many flaws that has nevertheless achieved a massive amount.
There are families in the UK still living in luxury from the spoils of slavery. Disgusting!!
Nah. Was only ever 10% of the UK economy. The rich would, as now, had to have had a much more varied portfolio. It was indefensible but also overstated, especially when you consider how much countries of the ME and even Africa were also involved in the trade.
Who are the goodies or baddies is irrelevant.
If Spain or Argentina win the world cup, the most we will hear about it for four years will be a couple of news videos showing the celebrations in Buenos Aires or Madrid.
Not so if England win.
I daren’t even imagine what we’ll have no option but face and suffer for years to come.
Lots of countries have really legitimate grievances against Britain generally or England in particular and I’ve no time for any British empire apologists that deny the validity of them. But the Argentinian grievance about the Falklands doesn’t stand up. Argentina is a European settler state, established through the genocide of the native population with a post independence immigration policy that explicitly sought to make the country whiter. I mean no disrespect for today’s ordinary Argentinians, but for their government to argue that the Falkland Islanders have no right to self determination because they are an “artificially implanted population” smacks of… Read more »