It Didn't Come Home (....but it has taken a holiday to Spain....)

And that was that, alas football hasn't come home (still) but it was a very close thing.

England had been many people's favourites to win Euro 2024, and did themselves proud, winnning their group, reaching the Final and being level on goals until the 86th minute.

Congratulations though to Spain, who just couldn't be contained, and were worthy winners.

At the outset of the tournament,:

Alex predicted England to reach the Quarter-Finals, where they would be beaten by Italy, 0-1 after extra time, and a Final ending Portugal 1 - 2 France.

Kevin predicted England to lose 1-3 to Spain after extra-time in the Quarter Finals, and Portugal to beat Croatia by 2-0 in the Final.

The dice suggest that England would go out by 3-1 to Switzerland in the Round of 16, with Croatia beating Ukraine 3-1 in the Final.

Once the tournament was underway and the outcome of the Group Stages was known, we adjusted our predictions after each round, based on who was still in the competition.  Our suggestions for the Final were as follows;

Alex and Kevin both predicted 2 - 2 after 90 minutes, with England to score a winning goal in extra time, final score 2-3 and England's young lions to lift the trophy.

The dice predicted 3-3 after normal time,  but finishing 4-6 to England, AET.

It was great optimism but sadly was not to be, the England men unable to replicate the success of the women, who won their respective Euros in 2022.

Just as sad was the news that Gareth Southgate resigned as England Manager in the aftermath. The most successful boss during our own lifetimes, he turned the national side around from being in the tabkoid press for all the wrong reasons, to being in there for most ly the righgt reasons, reaching the latter stages of the FIFA World Cup and two succesive UEFA European Championship Finals.

The BBC summarise it best:

"Tournament record: Fourth at 2018 World Cup, runners-up at Euro 2020, quarter-final at 2022 World Cup, runners-up at Euro 2024.

Overall record: Played 102, won 61, drawn 24, lost 17, scored 213, conceded 72, win ratio 59.8%.

Gareth Southgate took temporary charge of the England side in September 2016, and was unbeaten in four games, earning the role on a permanent basis.

For the first time since 1990, England's men's team reached the semi-finals of a World Cup in 2018, losing to Croatia after extra time. They went even further at the European Championship in 2021, but lost to Italy on penalties in the Wembley final.

A quarter-final loss to France in the 2022 World Cup followed. Southgate contemplated leaving the role after that tournament but stayed on, taking England to the final at Euro 2024, where they lost to Spain."

The last few weeks have also been eventful in British politics, a General Election being held on July 4th resulted in a change of government similar to that which happened shortly after the Euros in 1996, with a long-term Conservative Government thoroughly beaten by a relatively centrist Labour Party.

You might remember that in the lead up to the election we compared the most popular national parties manifestos on the basis of sport policy.  The question is, will the new government deliver on any of this? Only time will tell.

After the Semi-Final, the new Prime Minister, Kier Starmer quipped "England are unbeaten with a Labour Government" echoing Harold Wilson in 1966 who David Goldblatt cites as saying words to the effect of 'England only wins the World Cup with a Labour Government'.  

Alas, Starmer's words did not age well as within a few days he had equaled the Conservative Party record for losing 1 UEFA Euro Final. Perhaps the FIFA World Cup 2026 will provide Starmer's chance for a Harold Wilson moment? 

And will the Lionesses retain their trophy next year, in the UEFA Womens Euros 2025, which they won with a Conservative government in limbo following Boris Johnson's shock resignation 'with immediate effect' just three weeks earlier?

Thank you our readers for following the Soccer Mad Boffins UEFA Euros 2024 blogging and roll on our next sporting mega-event.....The Olympic Games, the football Group Stages beginning on Wednesday 24th July.