Ok, England, this is IT! There is no tomorrow; only tonight.

Because tonight we are in the semi-finals for the first time since… NINETEEN SIXTY-SIX!!!!! The year ingrained in everyone’s mind as ‘the year it happened’. I was ‘there’. Meaning ‘alive’ as opposed to ‘at Wembley’. And it was brilliant. But that’s history and we must deal with the present. Namely:

Argentina.

Against whom we have a ‘bit of history’. Both footballing and political. The funny thing is: most England fans, of any age whatsoever, know ‘the hand of God’ goal. Which I watched, with my wife of just 15 days, in Zakinthos. The hilight of our honeymoon. But basically, we’ve never forgiven Maradona for that goal. Even though we all loved the late (possibly) great(est) player (of all time??) And we all remember 2002 when David Beckham was sent off as we lost to them so tragically.

Yet most England fans have no idea about the Falklands War. It was something their parents talk about, nothing happening here; move on. It was an event; it happened; it finished; consigned to history books. And who can be bothered to read them.

Yet in Argentina, its different. It has become part of their cultural story. And they hate us for it. All of them. Even the kids and grandkids of those around in 1981 have had that conflict spoon-fed to them every day with their olive oil. So their ‘songs’ are full of ‘Malvinas’ this and Malvinas that and our fans just thing ‘huh?’ Though they do that for most of their songs because they’re not great at Spanish. They’re not really that good at English, if the interviews shown on the news are any guide.

They have Messi. Another contender for ‘GOAT’. A worthy contender. But a little older, wiser and, inevitably, slower than of old. But still just brilliant. And they have… errrr… hmmm…

Ok, Enzo Fernandez is pretty good, even though he plays for Chelsea. Julian Alvarez is ok, at least until he joins Arsenal any day now. And they have Christian Romero, the sometime captain of my very own Spurs. Sometime because he generally only plays between 20 to 45 minutes before getting sent off, but he’s great when he’s on the pitch.

And we have Harry. And we have Jude. And, quite frankly, nothing else matters.

I’ll be watching the match and sharing insights with a miserable lawyer. As everyone should. And could this be 1966 all over again????

So COME ON ING-ER-LUND!!!! LET’S DO IT!!!

Happy Wednesday

A xxxx