With 31 minutes gone at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium Harry Maguire did something poignant, touching and deeply moving, summoning out of the air a moment to express the basic absurdity of the occasion, of this entire Narnia-on-acid World Cup; of staring in peeled eyeball fascination at this hurled together England team as it muddles through the group stage, preamble to the games that really are the games.
Picking up the ball 40 yards from goal Maguire trundled forward with a sudden urgency, swaying and feinting diligently, but always heading left, unable to turn or tack, and transformed suddenly into a heavily laden supermarket trolley with a broken wheel.
Eventually, he decided to propel the ball violently out of his presence. Fire the cannons Mr Midshipman. The shot or cross flew in a fierce arc to the other side of the pitch and out for a throw-in. And it was, without doubt, the best moment of the opening half hour of this final Group B game, a moment to unite the stadium, hands reaching out, united in joy. We are the dreamers.
Here’s a thing. England entered this World Cup facing, on paper, the toughest, highest-ranked group in the tournament. They have now eased through it while scoring nine goals, never trailing at any stage, and with a stroke of cunning tactical switchery from the manager to break this game open; a manager who now has the best tournament record of any England manager, ever. Yes, yes, they managed all of this. But still, the question remains.
Are they any good?
This story is from the November 30, 2022 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 30, 2022 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Liverpool comeback falls short despite early Salah penalty
Jürgen Klopp has taken Liverpool to four European finals, one Champions League trophy and places that players and fans alike may never have imagined possible but a journey that pulsated and punished is over. There will be no fairytale ending in Dublin after one more feat of escapology proved beyond Klopp's team against Atalanta.
City's system failure offers glimmer of hope to rivals
Real Madrid's collision with Pep Guardiola's grooved machine represented a gripping clash of ideologies
'We have a superior product': Dukes maker asks Key to discuss ball
The maker of Dukes balls has entered the debate on the trial use of the Kookaburra ball in county cricket and invited Rob Key, the England and Wales Cricket Board's managing director of men's cricket, to talk to him about the type of ball he wants to see.
'I'm not swayed': Hamilton bats away criticism of Ferrari move
Lewis Hamilton has insisted his decision to join Ferrari in 2025 does not need any vindication, as he bemoaned the continued discussion over whether it is the right choice.
England's dreaming - If Dier can leave and kick on, how can the Premier League be the world's best?
It’s that Mitchell and Webb sketch reprised. Premier League fans looking around nervously. Are we … the farmers? (credit to Charlie on X who asked me this question).
Customers failed by poor 'country of origin' labels, says Which?
\"Misleading\" and \"inconsistent\" labels make it hard for shoppers to know where their food comes from, the consumer organisation Which? has said. It found supermarket chains were selling products with \"meaningless\" statements on their packaging.
Russia's war in Ukraine a barrier to global growth, says IMF boss
Russia's war with Ukraine is stoking geopolitical tensions and damaging the recovery prospects of the global economy, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned yesterday.
Victims of 1981 Dublin fire were unlawfully killed, inquest finds
Forty-eight young people were unlawfully killed after an electrical fault started an inferno at the Stardust nightclub in Dublin in 1981, an inquest jury has found.
Husband of influencer accused of tax evasion joins Russian military to secure her release
When his wife, a prominent Russian Instagram influencer, was threatened with years of imprisonment over tax evasion charges, Alexei Blinovsky opted for what seemed the most viable means to secure her freedom in Russia today: he joined Vladimir Putin's military campaign in Ukraine.
India's 'most predictable' election begins with Modi accused of undermining rivals
Voting has begun in India's general election, as Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata party looks to increase its parliamentary majority amid allegations that the country's democracy has been undermined since it came to power 10 years ago.
