The England national team may not attract quite the same ongoing attention as the Premier League, but success at the international level can have a transformative and uplifting effect on the nation as a whole, as has been demonstrated many times.
Back in 1990, England’s unlikely progress to the semi-finals of the World Cup, and their eventual defeat on penalties by Germany, sparked renewed interest in a sport that had suffered a long period of decline due to hooliganism and other negative factors during the 1980s.
That uplift was again on display in 1996. That year, England hosted the European Championships and under the stewardship of Terry Venables, the England team went on another successful run, developing a momentum that was felt across the national culture, which continued right up to their dramatic semi-final exit in front of a packed Wembley crowd.
There are more recent examples of the positive effects of international success. The England women’s team provided a major boost to the women’s game in the country when they reached the semi-finals of the World Cup of 2014 and the 2017 European Championships. Their progress led to dramatic increases in participation, crowds and media coverage.
Figures for participation in women’s football showed significant increases in the years following the Euro 2017 semi-final achievement with an impressive rise in youth female participation of 6.1%. By the time of the 2019 World Cup, the trend had accelerated dramatically. In 2017, a record 4 million viewers watched England’s semi-final defeat. In 2019, when England once again reached the last four, 11.7 million viewers tuned in to watch.
There is also plenty of evidence to suggest that the wider population benefits from a successful tournament on the scale of the World Cup or the European Championships. The impact of a big event on the nation’s happiness cannot be underestimated and at a time when England seems weighed down by Brexit divisions and the disastrous effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation is in desperate need of a lift, which could be provided by a successful Euro 2021.
That success could also provide further benefits to grassroots sport. Those campaigning for more sports facilities and more access to coaching, as well as more funding at youth level, will have a stronger case, and politicians will be keen to associate themselves with a successful international team, making it easier for campaigners to obtain more funding.
Of course, the benefits of a positive tournament will also be felt in numerous parts of the economy. Reopening pubs and sports bars will be desperate for big turnouts as the various games are broadcast throughout the summer. The betting industry too, is likely to benefit. The best football betting sites are looking to increase revenue during the event and with good reason. Analysis of over 500 football betting operators during the 2018 World Cup found that an astonishing €136 billion was wagered on that event with €7.2 billion bet on the Final alone.
The patriotic pound certainly seems to have been a factor in the build up to the tournament as punters have been keen to back Gareth Southgate’s team. England are currently sharing favouritism with World Cup winners France according to most bookmakers, with Belgium, Germany, Spain and Portugal close behind and Italy and the Netherlands also in with a shout.
Of those contenders, France look the likeliest danger to England’s hopes of winning this tournament for the first time. Since winning the World Cup three years ago, there has been no sign of any deterioration from the French. They still demonstrate an excellent team spirit, and their astonishing collection of world class talent – Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe, N’Golo Kante, Raphael Varane, Antoine Griezmann – will be strengthened by the return of Karim Benzema.
The favourites will also face tough competition from the likes of Spain, Germany and Belgium. Spain memorably secured a 6-0 win over Germany in the Nations League last November, and in Ferran Torres, they have an exciting young goalscoring talent to supplement the vast experience in their squad. Belgium have been inching closer to a big tournament win for a few years now and the depth of their talent almost rivals that available in the French squad.
Unusually, Germany go into this tournament with slightly lower expectations, due to the memory of the deflating experience of the 2018 World Cup, and their inconsistency over recent months. Yet there is no shortage of ability in their squad and they cannot be underestimated. With Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal also in contention, this promises to be a memorable tournament and a potentially transformative one for England and English culture, if they can end that 55 year wait for a major trophy.
