England broke our hearts but it was always about more than football.

I went into a Brixton bar from work for the Norwegian quarter-finals. After Norway’s sudden opening goal, Bellingham scored the equalizer through Hey Jude.

England struggled in the second half and it was a relief when Bellingham grabbed their second in stoppage time.

After sadly watching Sweet Caroline, I returned home with the dream alive for a few more days.

I’m still very angry about Argentina’s semi-final. The delightfully chaotic scenes on the streets of London with grown men sitting on the curb anxiously eating fried chicken give me a distinct sense of déjà-vu.

My friends and I feel angry today, but the World Cup makes me think of the people I watch football with.

In the year The WhatsApp group in memory of my best friend Daniel “Beamer” Beames, who sadly passed away in 2021 at the age of 32, is once again flooded with messages.

He was a huge England fan and after his death our team bought us Euro 96 shirts with his name and number 32 printed on the back.

This tournament made me think of him more than anyone and what it would mean to him to see England win a big tournament.

As we wait another 60 years, I dream that one day I’ll be wearing my Beamer jersey when football finally comes home.