With England having won their first-ever opening game at a European Championship tournament, there’s already an expectation that football will be ‘coming home’ this summer.
It’s been 55 years since England won their one and only title, the 1966 World Cup, at Wembley Stadium, the venue for most of the Three Lions matches in Euro 2020, as well as being where the final will be played.
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Getting Gareth Southgate’s side off on the right foot was Manchester City star, Raheem Sterling.
His was the only goal of the game against Croatia, and puts England in a healthy position ahead of the group stage tests against both Scotland and the Czech Republic.
One person who remains hugely proud of Sterling’s achievements is his old PE teacher, Paul Lawrence.
“Raheem’s come home — it was great. It really brought back memories of the magic I saw in him at school,” Lawrence said to the Evening Standard.
“What Raheem has done will inspire younger players in Brent. Knowing one of their own has gone on to the biggest stage in the world, will give them belief they can do it too.”
Inspiring the next generation has to be one of the benefits that come from relative tournament success.
If England can go on and win the tournament outright, Sterling can be rightly proud of the part he will have played.