The referee blows his whistle and England have finally done it: a first European Championship title for the men’s team. A glorious conclusion to a tournament that began so inauspiciously.
The team gather in the centre circle, drained but deliriously happy, before beginning a lap of honour. Fans sing “Sweet Caroline” and “Three Lions”, and the stadium is a sea of replica England kits through the ages – white, red and blue.
High up in the stands, a besuited Prince William grins, thrilled that Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins scored the winning goal. Next to him is Britain’s new prime minister, football-mad Keir Starmer, fresh from general election victory, his spectacles slightly misty but not a swept back hair out of place. He’s come not only as PM, but as a fan, resplendent in a crisp, plain white T-shirt. Prince William glances at it and wonders whether those are abs or man boobs.
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