THE defeat of the England men’s team in the final of Euro 2024 on Sunday has prompted prayers and commiserations from the country’s two archbishops.
After the game, which Spain won 2-1, the Archbishop of Canterbury wrote on social media that he was praying for the England manager, Gareth Southgate, and the whole team.
“Despite the result, you have won something no one can take away: our deepest admiration, and a place in the history books.” He added: “Congratulations to Spain on your victory and a wonderful tournament.”
The Archbishop of York also shared commiserations to England and congratulations to Spain, writing on social media that the England team “can rightly be proud of all they’ve achieved and in the way they have lifted the hearts of the nation, reaching their second Euros final in a row”.
Other senior churchmen concurred, though the former Bishop of Willesden, the Rt Revd Pete Broadbent, was more succinct: “We should be used to it by now. But it still stinks.”
The Bishop of Sheffield, Dr Pete Wilcox, focused on congratulating Spain, saying that he was happy for their fans, and that they were “definitely the best team in the tournament” — a position on which most pundits agreed.
Dr Wilcox paid tribute to the England team, though, for “some great moments”, after they progressed from the round of 16 thanks to a last-minute equaliser and an extra-time winner, and got to the semi-final thanks to a penalty shoot-out victory over Switzerland.
The England men’s team have now lost two successive European Championship finals, losing on penalties in 2021 (News, 14 July 2021). The year after, however, the women’s team became the first England team since 1966 to claim a major trophy by winning Euro 2022 (News, 1 August 2022).
Before Sunday’s final, the Archbishops released a video message in which they contrasted their interest in football.
“I am really not a sporty person, and for one reason or another I don’t watch sport,” Archbishop Welby said; but “everything changed” when England got into the final. “I sort of get as close as I dare to saying to God he must know the right answer for this one, and could he please carry it out, but I expect the Spanish are doing the same.”
Archbishop Cottrell, meanwhile, admitted: “I spend far too much of my life thinking about football, watching football, dreaming about football, still hoping for a call up myself.”
“I’m a believer,” he said, predicting — perhaps more in hope than expectation — that England would win four or five nil, and that it would “all be over by half-time”.
In the event, it was 0-0 at half time, but Spain took the lead soon after the break. A Cole Palmer strike brought the scores level, but Spain won the game with an 86th-minute goal.
