As England head to the Euro 2020 final, Boris Johnson’s football ‘fandom’ just seems comical

When it comes to football, most politicians may not know the difference between a diamond formation and a flat back-four, but they certainly know what a bandwagon looks like when it hoves into view.

As England’s drive to the Euro 2020 final has progressed, it has been comical to observe the efforts of Westminster’s unathletic denizens to associate themselves with the national team’s success.

All seem convinced that a carefully-staged photo op or a tweet laden with St George’s flag emojis is the key to ensuring that a little of the glamour of the beautiful game rubs off on them.

In reality, of course, anything that smacks of part-time fandom is more likely to expose them to ridicule (just ask “Villa supporter” David Cameron about that time he expressed his love for West Ham) and it’s an open question whether they stand to gain anything at all from the exercise.

It’s a common myth that Harold Wilson owed his election victory in 1966 to euphoria over England’s World Cup win, when in fact the Labour PM was safely back in Downing Street before a ball was kicked. It might be fairer to suppose that national gloom over being booted out of the competition by West Germany four days ahead of the 1970 election contributed to his defeat that year.

While Boris Johnson can certainly be expected to declare national celebrations and lavish knighthoods and medals on Gareth Southgate and his team if they see off Italy on Sunday, it’s hard to know if it will do him any good electorally.

The premier’s preference for the oval-ball game was made all too clear on his best-known appearance on a football pitch, when he rugby-tackled an opponent. And he was mocked at the Wembley semi-final for that most egregious of fan’s sartorial faux pas of wearing his England jersey over a work shirt and tie.

Meanwhile, Priti Patel’s Twitter exclamation that “it’s coming home” was met with sardonic comments about her efforts to stop people coming to England. And Tory MP Lee Anderson has made himself the laughing stock of Westminster by boycotting the most glorious few weeks of football history in half a century because of his objections to the team taking the knee.

Even Keir Starmer – who to be fair plays regularly in a Sunday side and is an Arsenal season-ticket holder – got on the wrong end of fans’ banter when he was pictured celebrating an England goal in a pub with no beer on his table.

Victory on Sunday would certainly deliver a massive feel-good factor after 16 months of Covid gloom, which may push voter satisfaction up a notch or two – at least south of the border. But a few weeks of the PM acting the plastic fan and hanging around with people far more popular than him is unlikely to translate into votes in 2024.

In the end, the glory-grabbing efforts of the political classes have all ended up looking a little bit shabbier – because of the nature of the current England team and its manager.

Gary Neville hit the nail on the head for many with his suggestion that, with Marcus Rashford’s campaign for hungry kids and Gareth Southgate’s eloquent defence of diversity, England footballers are doing a lot more than any politician to bring the country together.

Yours,

Andrew Woodcock

Political editor