World In Motion 2010

People who root for the English National Football (Soccer) Team remind me of my passion for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball club. Each team has won just enough to get hopes up (like the 1966 England World Cup or baseball’s 1988 World Series), but most of the time the end result is heartbreak and enduring resolve for the next time!

It’s not that England has a bad side for the 2010 South Africa World Cup, far from it! It’s just that England supporters have unrealistic expectations for their team. The defenders are suspect, the goalie is untested and who can score for the Three Lions outside of world-class striker Wayne Rooney?

Yet three things England has going for it are Rooney, excellent midfielders in Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard and strangely enough, songs about the team. One thing I really admire about England fans is their ability to sing. I guess any country that can claim The Beatles as their own can sing whenever they like, but the World Cup gives England another venue to show off their singing prowess!

Take “Bangers and Mash” by Marcus Day featuring Cormack. My favorite England song for the 2010 World Cup showcases everything I like about the country: good soccer, good food, good beer, and good company! The video clip is too large for the blog, but here’s the link:

YouTube link

My all-time favorite England football song is its World Cup anthem for Italy 1990, New Order’s “World In Motion.” As one of the three 1980s music groups I still listen to three decades later (along with Talking Heads and The Go-Go’s), New Order already had the inside track. However, “World In Motion” does an excellent job of mixing high-brow concepts (“Love’s got the world in motion”) with low-brow entertainment (England Midfielder John Barnes rapping halfway through the song).



Speaking of low-brow, it doesn’t get any more lower than Fat Les’ “Vindaloo” for France 1998. If you’re think you’re crazy for rooting for England in the World Cup, this song reminds you that you’re not alone...



And if you’re one for heart-felt sentimentality, Embrace’s “World At Your Feet” for Germany 2006 is perfect! This anthem is uplifting in more ways than one: as you lift up the World Cup trophy, you will also lift up your soul.



England’s first match for 2010 South Africa is against the United States this Saturday. Despite my admiration for England’s team, I will still root for the USA. I will root for the USA until they are eliminated, and then I’ll root for England! Then France, then New Zealand, and then Spain. And if all those countries are eliminated, I will root for any team facing Italy or Brazil. Winning’s no fun if it’s not your team!

Update: Did I say untested English goalie? What a match!