Why England and Germany have more in common than their historic rivalry suggests

Both countries have reasons to be anxious about sport’s ability to fuel toxic forms of nationalism, but they have also shown how sport can pioneer a liberal and inclusive patriotism.

By Sunder Katwala

TURIN, ITALY - JULY 04: West Germany captain Lothar Matthaus consoles England player Paul Gascoigne after the 1990 FIFA World Cup semi final as Neil Webb (l) and Mark Wright look on at the Stadio Delle Alpi on July 4, 1990 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Allsport/Getty Images)

During the most dramatic, topsy-turvy night of European football last Wednesday as the final batch of games in Group F were played, Gareth Southgate’s England side could have been preparing to face four different opponents in the first knock-out round of Euro 2020. But perhaps it was fated to be Germany who, despite having been minutes away from being eliminated from the tournament by underdog Hungary, would come to Wembley for the round of 16 to renew one of the great international football rivalries.

England versus Germany will be the tie of the round, the kind of game that these great footballing summers are all about. Up to 20 million of us will tune in to watch – anxious about the outcome, but eager to see whether the players can create memories that we will talk about for years to come.