All politicians, regardless of party, can learn from this England team

Editorial: A group of young men, brilliantly guided by Gareth Southgate, created a genuinely new moment, becoming a powerful symbol of a multiracial, diverse, inclusive country

Although it would be easy to regard England’s defeat in the Euro 2020 final as yet another sad and sorry failure for the national team, it would be completely wrong to do so.

Gareth Southgate and his players gave the whole nation a huge lift when it was desperately needed.  After 16 months in which the pandemic has kept people apart, the team’s performance on and off the pitch brought together people of all ages, classes and ethnic backgrounds.

England not only reached their first final in a major competition for 55 years. The team also outshone their predecessors in the way they conducted themselves. Euro 1996, another near miss and cruel defeat on penalties, was primarily about the football.

This year was different, something much bigger: a group of young men, brilliantly guided by Mr Southgate, created a genuinely new moment, becoming a powerful symbol of a multiracial, diverse, inclusive country. They came from all corners of it and, remarkably, half of the 26-man squad could have played for another country because of their family backgrounds.

Not for this group the excesses and laddish behaviour of their forerunners; they preferred to champion equality for all, whether on race, gender or the economy, and to raise millions for charity.

Their decision to take the knee was controversial with some Conservative politicians; Priti Patel, the home secretary, criticised it as “gesture politics” and defended those spectators who booed the act. Yet the shameful racist abuse online that has been directed at the three England players – Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka – who missed their penalties proves the team’s original point.

Despite the team’s unifying effect, the country still has a problem when it comes to racism. True, it is amplified by social media, but it still exists and cannot be wished away by those on the right who would rather play it down, as in the case of the recent Downing Street-orchestrated review of race and ethnic disparities.

Clearly, some Tories are uneasy about the progressive patriotism exemplified by Mr Southgate and his team. Natalie Elphicke, a backbencher, misread the country’s mood when she told Tory colleagues in a private message that Rashford, who beat Mr Johnson 2-0 in their battle over free school meals, “should have spent more time perfecting his game and less time playing politics”. She apologised after it became public.

Politicians of all persuasions can learn from this England team. Tories who believe that a divisive culture war, sometimes with racial overtones, serves their narrow party interest should lay down their arms. Mr Johnson and his government would get more credit from across the political spectrum if they genuinely tried to bring people together.

People on the left should acknowledge that the flag of St George has now been recaptured from the far right by the mainstream. Sir Keir Starmer, anxious to match Mr Johnson in the number of union flags each has in the background, should be emboldened to champion the values represented by the team’s version of patriotism, an issue which should no longer be the preserve of the right.

Before the tournament, polling for the British Future think tank found that two-thirds of minority ethnic people agreed the England team was a symbol of the country that “belongs to people of every race and ethnic background in England today”. Only 8 per cent disagreed.

The figures were virtually the same amongst white people. Hopefully, the past month will have boosted these numbers. Other institutions should now follow the team’s lead in reaching out to the whole country.

On the field, too, there are real grounds for hope. This young team will learn from experience, a vital ingredient that helped Italy survive and ultimately prevail in Sunday’s final. When the clouds of defeat and disappointment have lifted, the England team and the many people they have won over can look forward to next year’s World Cup with an unusual degree of optimism and confidence.