Good tournament for England. Easy draw, dodgy refereeing decisions, but did well to get 2nd best when they're probably about the sixth best team in Europe. The Italians are rightly champions, and I think a bit of a wake-up call for delusionists like Rio, who claimed England could beat either team after the Italy-Spain semi, and for those who reckon Sterling is world-class: not compared to Chiesa he ain't.
As for the thug fans - dunno if anyone else heard that Danish lady on Steven Nolan's show on Friday night. It's right to say that, happily, we've now developed a multi-cultural, multi-racial widespread England fanbase that we should be thrilled about. But come on, there's a hardcore, primarily Southern, tattooed, middle-aged white, entitled mob that surfaces at games, pubs and online that have been associated with Ing-urland since the 70's. The same mob of Cockney ****wits that turned Meditteranean resorts into war zones into the 80's and 90's, and even now are likely to kick into middle-aged yobbery in the Caribbean and Aisian resorts as their disposable income increases near retirement. If ever there's a drunken fight in any resort anywhere, look for the English - not Scots, Irish, Welsh or Aussies, but always the English, usually from London and the Home Counties. And not even the young English to boot.
And Jordan Pickford - I take it back, diddy-arms. Apart from the Danish goal, the best keeper in the tournament. Luke Shaw too - as a former fat but quick and skilful full back myself, I applaud you, you Manc ****. And watching Jose squirm and make innumerable re-writes of history in his newspaper column has been fantastic. Can't think of anybody else who'd get in that Italy squad though.
So here's to a third easy tournament draw in a row for Qatar. With luck, we'll make the quarters again, if not a semi.
