England

Does FIFA Tell Referees Who It Wants to Win?

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On Wednesday, England will play Argentina in the World Cup semi-final. Throughout the tournament, some supporters have suggested that referees have treated Argentina—and Lionel Messi in particular—favourably. Messi is not merely Argentina’s most famous player. He is the most recognisable footballer in the United States, where he plays his club football, and one of the … Read more

Writing a New England

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The World Cup starts today, with England hoping to be somewhere around the latter stages. I took my former in-laws to an England game once. They were Asian Doctors, and had lived for decades a few miles from Wembley yet had never been there. It was 2010 and the era of football hooligans was well … Read more