Football did come home – and the outlook for England’s young team is bright
Football came home all right. England just didn’t win the tournament.
It’s no disgrace.
Italy can claim to be the outstanding team of the Euro 2020, and are worthy winners.
The guard of honour they formed as England went to collect their silver medals was a nice touch, and in keeping with a tournament which delivered for the most part a feelgood factor the continent needed after the last 16 months.
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England and Italy fans celebrate and commiserate a Euros final to remember
Over the last four weeks, Gareth Southgate and his team have cemented their reconnection with the public.
At the start of his 37-second message to the nation on the morning of the final, he said “We hope that we’ve represented you in the right way.”
They have. It matters. And it helps now, as England (nation and team) struggles to deal with more penalty heartbreak.
It will mitigate the flak the manager will receive over his choices for the shootout.
It’s hard to criticise him for putting his faith in the same young men whose praises we have sung for the past month.
Bringing on substitutes near the end of extra time specifically to take penalties in the shootout is not unusual – but it is a calculated risk.
It misfired badly here as Marcus Rashford – still only 23 – and 21-year old Jadon Sancho both failed from the spot.
Rashford, who looked as “cold” as you might expect for a man who had sat on the bench for 119 minutes, hit the post.
A couple of inches to the right, and we might very well have had a different outcome. The 55 years of hurt might have ended right here. And Bukayo Saka would not have had quite the same pressure on his 19-year old shoulders.
Saka’s shot was saved, and Southgate rushed to give comfort as the Arsenal forward broke down in tears.
“It’s down to me,” the manager said. “I made the choices.”
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Italian joy and English pain
The FA expects to extend Southgate’s contract beyond the end of next year’s World Cup in Qatar, a competition for which England can now expect to be among the favourites.
Of England’s squad of 26 here, only Kyle Walker and Jordan Henderson are over 30, so every one of them will likely remain in contention, and the youngsters will be a season-and-a-half more battle-hardened.
The outlook is bright, and the country will be with the team to a greater extent than in the past, despite the racism aimed at some players on social media and swiftly condemned by the FA.
Equally important for the longer term, the production line of young talent will continue to deliver, because of the class of 2021.
“It’s important,” said Southgate before the final, “that parents can say to their kids: ‘We are quite happy for you to be a Raheem, a Marcus, a Kalvin Phillips or whoever they might be’, because they stand for the right things off the pitch as well as on it.”
In the end, that matters more than whether England finished first or second at the Euros, even if it doesn’t feel like that this morning to those kids up and down the land, or the slightly older kids who nearly delivered the trophy.
Football did come home.
The UK has joined US forces in attacking a Houthi target in Yemen for the first time since Donald Trump was re-elected.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed the strikes took place on Tuesday as part of the government’s response to Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The ministry said careful intelligence analysis identified a cluster of buildings used by the Houthis to manufacture the sort of drones used to attack ships, located 15 miles south of the capital Sanaa.
RAF Typhoon FGR4s conducted strikes on several buildings using Paveway IV precision-guided bombs.
The planes had air refuelling support from Voyager tankers.
The ministry said the strike was conducted after dark to reduce the likelihood of civilians being in the area.
All the aircraft returned safely.
John Healey. Pic: Reuters
Defence Secretary John Healey said: “This government will always act in the interests of our national and economic security.
“Royal Air Force Typhoons have successfully conducted strikes against a Houthi military target in Yemen and all UK aircraft and personnel have returned safely to base.
“We conducted these strikes, supported by the US, to degrade Houthi capabilities and prevent further attacks against UK and international shipping.”
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Houthis a ‘persistent threat’ to ‘freedom of navigation’
Mr Healey said Houthi activities in the Red Sea are a “persistent threat” to “freedom of navigation”.
“A 55% drop in shipping through the Red Sea has already cost billions, fuelling regional instability and risking economic security for families in the UK,” he said.
“The government is steadfast in our commitment to reinforcing global stability and protecting British working people. I am proud of the dedication and professionalism shown by the service men and women involved in this operation.”
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US intensifies strikes on Houthis
It was the first time UK forces have struck a target in Yemen since May last year, the ministry confirmed.
The US has intensified its strikes on the Iran-backed Houthis under Mr Trump’s presidency, after his re-election in November 2024.
The group began launching attacks on shipping routes in November 2023 saying they were in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
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Footage showing people being pulled from rubble has been released by Houthi rebels in Yemen
The strike came after a Houthi-controlled TV channel claimed a US strike killed 68 people at a detention centre for African migrants in Yemen on Monday.
UK
No criminal charges over death of ice hockey player Adam Johnson whose neck was cut by opponent’s skate
No criminal charges will be brought over the death of an ice hockey player who died during a match in Sheffield, prosecutors have announced.
Nottingham Panthers’ Adam Johnson died in October 2023 after his neck was cut by an opposition player’s skate during a match at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena.
The Sheffield Steelers player, Matthew Petgrave, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and later bailed – but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has now said it will not bring criminal charges against the Canadian.
Michael Quinn, deputy chief crown prosecutor, said: “This was a shocking and deeply upsetting incident. The CPS and South Yorkshire Police have worked closely together to determine whether any criminal charges should be brought against the other ice hockey player involved.
“Following a thorough police investigation and a comprehensive review of all the evidence by the CPS, we have concluded that there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offence and so there will not be a prosecution.
“Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Adam Johnson.”
Tributes were left outside the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham following the ice hockey player’s death. Pic PA
Before joining Nottingham Panthers, the Minnesota-born Johnson played in Pennsylvania for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Sweden for the Malmo Redhawks.
He also played in California for Ontario Reign and in Germany for Augsburger Panther.
A post-mortem examination confirmed the 29-year-old died as a result of the fatal neck injury.
The crowd of 8,000 spectators watched in horror as desperate attempts were made to save his life as he lay on the ice, shielded by fellow players.
The game was abandoned and spectators were asked to leave in the aftermath.
Pic PA
Kari Johnson, Johnson’s aunt, was watching the match via a livestream with his father and grandmother when he was fatally injured.
Speaking to Sky News at the time, Ms Johnson said: “It was a mess, it was a nightmare, it was like it wasn’t real. We were in shock, we couldn’t believe this was happening.”
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Kari Johnson said her nephew was ‘a kind soul’
Ms Johnson described her nephew as a “kind soul” and a “private kid” who “never would have wanted to be in the limelight like this”.
He simply wanted to be “good at hockey and have fun”, she said, adding he was “having the time of his life in the UK” and was planning to get engaged to his girlfriend.
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In January 2024, Sheffield’s senior coroner, Tanyka Rawden, suspended her investigation while the police inquiry took its course.
It later emerged that Ms Rawden had issued a Prevention of Future Deaths Report to Ice Hockey UK and the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) about the use of neck guards in the sport.
In the report, Ms Rawden said she was “sufficiently concerned that deaths may occur in the future if neck guards or protectors are not worn”, with the bodies given 56 days to say what action had been taken – or why action had not been taken.
Neck guards have been mandatory in the Elite League (EIHL), in which the Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers compete, since January 2024.
This followed the International Ice Hockey Federation’s decision in December to mandate the use of neck laceration protectors for its competitions.
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