England have been waiting a long time for a major international trophy. To not win a trophy since 1966 is not good at all for a nation of this size. The upcoming Euro 2028 tournament will provide them with one of their biggest opportunities yet to rectify that.
To begin with, Euro 2028 will be played across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, with Wembley Stadium hosting the semi-finals and final. For England, that means the biggest games could be played on home turf, in front of our passionate supporters.
But could this finally be England’s moment…? I strongly believe Wembley will be the difference.
Wembley will be central to Euro 2028. If England qualify directly, they will play two of their group games at Wembley, with their opening match taking place in Manchester.
We know how playing in front of a home crowd could give England a massive boost, creating an atmosphere that could make Wembley feel like the fortress it needs to be.
However, as we know, most times England enter a tournament, there will also be plenty of pressure. England fans will expect the team to perform, especially when playing at home. The cameras will be shining bright and there will be nowhere to hide, even more so when in front of the home crowds.
One other thing that needs to be remembered and overcome by England is the heartbreak and disappointment of Euro 2020.
In 2021, England reached the European Championship final at Wembley, the home of football. I remember sitting there with my family, fully believing we were going to do something incredible! We all had our shirts on, ready to back the boys until the final whistle. After the opening goal by Luke Shaw, I had my Uber on standby, ready to go and enjoy what would have been memorable celebrations in central London. The fare showed £85, for what would usually be a £45 fare, but I was ready to pay that as moments like that are priceless!
By the time the end of extra time came, I felt I was in that midfield the way I was sweating. I kicked every ball with them that day. The team were a penalty shootout away from winning their first major tournament since 1966.
Unfortunately, the Italians came out victorious and won on penalties.
For many England supporters like myself, that night remains one of the biggest disappointments in recent international football history. With that being said, the perfect moment to erase the pain and hurt is surely Euro 2028.
Of course, before England can dream about lifting the trophy at Wembley, they still have to qualify. Even though England are one of the host nations, they will still take part in the qualifying process.
With the squad at Thomas Tuchel’s disposal, there is no reason why they should not be going in there as joint favourites at least. Barring injuries, this team can go head-to-head with the best in the world and show they can match and go beyond any other team’s level. The thought of going into a tournament in front of a home crowd, with the likes of a fully fit Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka, brings excitement.
The pressure is going to be huge, but we have to learn from the lessons of previous tournaments. These are the moments a lot of these guys have waited for, and there is no better time to write their names down in history than now.
Let’s not forget the shirt bears Three Lions, and there are three things we need to remember going into this tournament: be brave, be courageous and play with pride!
This is our time. Bring on Euro 2028!
