It’s Coming Home
On Sunday England’s football team was defeated by Italy in the Euro 2020 final. The disappointment for fans was huge and the English media spoke of hurt, heroes and heartbreak.
But there was also an unpleasant side to the poignant defeat. The English Football Association CEO described how “drunken yobs” without tickets invaded Wembley stadium. Meanwhile on social media there was a torrent of hateful abuse against players who missed penalty shots. These events prompted a political reaction. Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the appalling behaviour of English fans and Keir Starmer, the leader of the opposition in England, condemned Boris Johnson for a failure of leadership.
What do these shenanigans, tragic as they are, have to do with the Irish householder and consumer?
They do in fact have relevance. Ireland is preparing a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup with the UK. This could mean that stadiums, hotels, pubs, streets and social media platforms in Ireland might witness the invasion of the same English fans we saw in action over the last few days at the Euros.
The UK is not in the EU, perhaps it might be better to mount a bid with a like-minded European neighbour. Like Italy for example?
What do you think? Bid for the 2030 World Cup with Italy or England? Click here to answer a quick survey on it.
