Italy’s Euro victory soothes soul of a nation crushed by CovidFootball team’s sporting comeback a welcome distraction from country’s ‘worst period’Life stuck in the endless loop of English football fandomSunday’s loss to Italy brought back a familiar despair laced with memories of generations of family supportRacist abuse of England football players sparks political rowBoris Johnson accused of hypocrisy for response, while team members themselves react to online attacksItaly crowned European champions as England lose on penalties Home side’s early lead at Wembley proves insufficient as they finally succumb to Achilles’ heel of spot kicksEuro 2020: England expects — the long road back to a Wembley finalThe team’s fortunes have long reflected the national mood. Will their embrace of a continental style end in victory?Harry Kane, England football captain carries a nation’s hopesWill a lifetime’s devotion to work be enough to bring home the Euros victory he desperately wants?More from this SeriesMood of a fractious nation pivots on England’s Euro 2020 progressBroader social effects will be felt whether footballers win or lose semi-final against DenmarkEuro 2020: Gareth Southgate’s meticulous approach makes England contenders again Process has worked well enough for men’s team to reach first major tournament final for 55 yearsSpain stretch Italy but pay the final penalty Azzurri fall back on their ancient weapons of deep, massed defence, brilliant goalkeeping and rapid counter-attacksEuro 2020: England’s footballers reach first final since 1966Harry Kane decider from penalty rebound sets up Sunday Euro 2020 climax against ItalyEuro 2020: England need to play without fear to end long wait for successSouthgate’s players are first in decades to have a positive experience of playing on international stageEuro 2020: Sergio Busquets, Spain’s Mr Indispensable, looks for one final reckoningThe midfielder overcame Covid to lead his country into a last-four clash with ItalyWin against Ukraine shows how everything has gone England’s wayGareth Southgate’s team acquire the skills to become firm favourites to make Euro 2020 finalEngland’s Sterling success bridges nation divided by culture warBlack footballer’s goals have taken England to Euro 2020 quarter final and elevated players’ campaign against racismEuro 2020: Denmark goes football crazy as Christian Eriksen collapse galvanises nationTeam’s journey to Euro quarter-finals without star player revives memories of 1992 victoryMidfield duo lead cast as Roberto Mancini plots an Italian job against BelgiumJorginho and Verratti are the linchpins of the ‘Azzurri’ as the Euro 2020 quarter-finals beginEngland’s history boys send Germany out of Euro 2020 at WembleySterling opener and Kane header put team into quarter-finals against Ukraine — and not a penalty in sightWestern Europe’s footballing superiority is about more than moneyIron Curtain that once divided the communist east from the west persists in footballEngland’s one-sided football rivalry with Germany loses its biteThe English now define themselves more against each other than against their supposed arch-rivalsWales celebrates ‘band of brothers’ taking on football’s big boysAs team prepares to face Denmark on Saturday nation unites behind ‘massive underdogs’Foul called on plan to let Euro 2020 VIPs into UK for Wembley games Anger at prospect of senior officials attending climax of football tournament in London despite quarantine rulesTougher tasks lie ahead for England after winning Euro 2020 groupBeating Czech Republic sets up knockout tie against France, Germany or PortugalItaly and Germany raise concerns over Euro 2020 matches held in UKMerkel and Draghi speak out as fears rise over the spread of the Delta coronavirus variant in EnglandEngland and Scotland play out damp draw amid din of WembleyGoal-free game keeps both sides in tournament, but visitors may be the happier with single pointAgeless Cristiano Ronaldo defies odds as he closes in on goals record Portugal star has transformed his body and reinvented his game in quest for footballing perfectionUefa and UK government hold talks on quarantine rules for Euro finalsEuropean football governing body says it may move matches from London if travel rules are enforcedRonaldo’s Coke moment signals shifting balance of power in sportAthletes’ efforts to take control force rethink of longstanding marketing strategiesFever pitch: football versus the culture warsReturning to the stands for the Euros, a veteran tournament goer reflects on the tension between the sport and politicsAuld Enemy clash pulls thousands of Scotland fans to LondonTicketless fans ignore Covid restrictions for football’s oldest international rivalry France lay down marker with opening victoryWorld champions begin European championship with 1-0 victory over GermanyKarim Benzema: France’s prodigal striker is a political football for far-right fans Real Madrid star proves a tailor-made target for extremists in evolving culture warEngland break habit by winning opening match at EurosHopes rise of run to Wembley final after Sterling goal erases memories of World Cup loss to Croatia in 2018Christian Eriksen ‘awake’ after collapsing during matchDanish midfielder taken to hospital after medical emergency halts game against FinlandEngland’s blend of youth and experience raises national hopesBut Gareth Southgate’s Euros squad will have to beat some of the best national teams in the world if they are to succeedItaly open Euro 2020 by putting three past ideas-free TurkeyDour curtain-raiser to tournament uniquely played out across the continent brought to life with second half own goalThe duelling patriotism of English football fansSupporting the national team is how we experience our countryEuro 2020 finally kicks off, a year late and buffeted by the virus Organisers have work cut out to ensure football tournament passes off without major Covid outbreak
Italy’s Euro victory soothes soul of a nation crushed by CovidFootball team’s sporting comeback a welcome distraction from country’s ‘worst period’Life stuck in the endless loop of English football fandomSunday’s loss to Italy brought back a familiar despair laced with memories of generations of family supportRacist abuse of England football players sparks political rowBoris Johnson accused of hypocrisy for response, while team members themselves react to online attacksItaly crowned European champions as England lose on penalties Home side’s early lead at Wembley proves insufficient as they finally succumb to Achilles’ heel of spot kicksEuro 2020: England expects — the long road back to a Wembley finalThe team’s fortunes have long reflected the national mood. Will their embrace of a continental style end in victory?Harry Kane, England football captain carries a nation’s hopesWill a lifetime’s devotion to work be enough to bring home the Euros victory he desperately wants?More from this SeriesMood of a fractious nation pivots on England’s Euro 2020 progressBroader social effects will be felt whether footballers win or lose semi-final against DenmarkEuro 2020: Gareth Southgate’s meticulous approach makes England contenders again Process has worked well enough for men’s team to reach first major tournament final for 55 yearsSpain stretch Italy but pay the final penalty Azzurri fall back on their ancient weapons of deep, massed defence, brilliant goalkeeping and rapid counter-attacksEuro 2020: England’s footballers reach first final since 1966Harry Kane decider from penalty rebound sets up Sunday Euro 2020 climax against ItalyEuro 2020: England need to play without fear to end long wait for successSouthgate’s players are first in decades to have a positive experience of playing on international stageEuro 2020: Sergio Busquets, Spain’s Mr Indispensable, looks for one final reckoningThe midfielder overcame Covid to lead his country into a last-four clash with ItalyWin against Ukraine shows how everything has gone England’s wayGareth Southgate’s team acquire the skills to become firm favourites to make Euro 2020 finalEngland’s Sterling success bridges nation divided by culture warBlack footballer’s goals have taken England to Euro 2020 quarter final and elevated players’ campaign against racismEuro 2020: Denmark goes football crazy as Christian Eriksen collapse galvanises nationTeam’s journey to Euro quarter-finals without star player revives memories of 1992 victoryMidfield duo lead cast as Roberto Mancini plots an Italian job against BelgiumJorginho and Verratti are the linchpins of the ‘Azzurri’ as the Euro 2020 quarter-finals beginEngland’s history boys send Germany out of Euro 2020 at WembleySterling opener and Kane header put team into quarter-finals against Ukraine — and not a penalty in sightWestern Europe’s footballing superiority is about more than moneyIron Curtain that once divided the communist east from the west persists in footballEngland’s one-sided football rivalry with Germany loses its biteThe English now define themselves more against each other than against their supposed arch-rivalsWales celebrates ‘band of brothers’ taking on football’s big boysAs team prepares to face Denmark on Saturday nation unites behind ‘massive underdogs’Foul called on plan to let Euro 2020 VIPs into UK for Wembley games Anger at prospect of senior officials attending climax of football tournament in London despite quarantine rulesTougher tasks lie ahead for England after winning Euro 2020 groupBeating Czech Republic sets up knockout tie against France, Germany or PortugalItaly and Germany raise concerns over Euro 2020 matches held in UKMerkel and Draghi speak out as fears rise over the spread of the Delta coronavirus variant in EnglandEngland and Scotland play out damp draw amid din of WembleyGoal-free game keeps both sides in tournament, but visitors may be the happier with single pointAgeless Cristiano Ronaldo defies odds as he closes in on goals record Portugal star has transformed his body and reinvented his game in quest for footballing perfectionUefa and UK government hold talks on quarantine rules for Euro finalsEuropean football governing body says it may move matches from London if travel rules are enforcedRonaldo’s Coke moment signals shifting balance of power in sportAthletes’ efforts to take control force rethink of longstanding marketing strategiesFever pitch: football versus the culture warsReturning to the stands for the Euros, a veteran tournament goer reflects on the tension between the sport and politicsAuld Enemy clash pulls thousands of Scotland fans to LondonTicketless fans ignore Covid restrictions for football’s oldest international rivalry France lay down marker with opening victoryWorld champions begin European championship with 1-0 victory over GermanyKarim Benzema: France’s prodigal striker is a political football for far-right fans Real Madrid star proves a tailor-made target for extremists in evolving culture warEngland break habit by winning opening match at EurosHopes rise of run to Wembley final after Sterling goal erases memories of World Cup loss to Croatia in 2018Christian Eriksen ‘awake’ after collapsing during matchDanish midfielder taken to hospital after medical emergency halts game against FinlandEngland’s blend of youth and experience raises national hopesBut Gareth Southgate’s Euros squad will have to beat some of the best national teams in the world if they are to succeedItaly open Euro 2020 by putting three past ideas-free TurkeyDour curtain-raiser to tournament uniquely played out across the continent brought to life with second half own goalThe duelling patriotism of English football fansSupporting the national team is how we experience our countryEuro 2020 finally kicks off, a year late and buffeted by the virus Organisers have work cut out to ensure football tournament passes off without major Covid outbreak
