Over here in Europe a big football tournament kicked off this weekend - The European Nations Cup. The final will be played on Sunday July 14th in Berlin, Germany. In fact, the entire tournament is happening in Germany.
Tonight, English football supporters up and down the land tuned in to watch our nation's first game of the tournament against Serbia. Fortunately and I think deservedly, we won by one goal to nil - scored in the thirteenth minute by twenty year old Jude Bellingham. What a wonderful, determined and skilful player he is. If he avoids serious injury, he will undoubtedly become one of the legends of the game. Currently, he plays his club football for Real Madrid in Spain.
Football is bigger than religion in England. Our stadia are now our churches and the majority of supporters wear religious garb - team shirts, scarves and hats. We believe in our club teams and indeed in our national team more than we believe in God.
Most pubs have big TV screens and this evening they will have all been tuned to the England game. Many thousands of supporters will have descended on their local pubs to watch the match but I was round at my daughter's house. They have a big, modern TV screen and besides Shirley wanted to watch something else on our humble twenty eight inch television at home.
England's next match is against Denmark on Thursday evening and this will be followed by a game against Slovenia on Tuesday June 26th. This match will mark the end of our involvement in the group stage before the knockout stage gets under way.
Come on England! Three years ago our lads got through to the final - losing on penalties to Italy at Wembley Stadium in London. England fans have known much disappointment over the years. So near and yet so far. An ocean of tears. Maybe this is the year that England will come home with the trophy. We live in hope.
from Yorkshire Pudding https://ift.tt/XahHxwy