‘England vs Argentina has by no means been simply one other World Cup match – historical past runs too deep’
‘Police in Atlanta will be watching closely amid fears a minority of supporters could let the occasion boil over. England’s players have worked too hard to reach another semi-final to be overshadowed’
Voice of the Mirror has its say…
Fans keep calm plea
England against Argentina has never been just another football match. The history between these two proud nations runs deep, from the pain of the 1986 Hand of God to David Beckham’s red card in 1998 and so many unforgettable battles since.
Every game brings passion, pride and plenty of emotion, which is why police in Atlanta will be watching closely amid fears a minority of supporters could let the occasion boil over. That would be a tragedy.
The only battle that matters should be the one taking place on the pitch. England’s players have worked too hard to reach another World Cup semi-final for it to be overshadowed by ugly scenes in the stands or on the streets. Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has struck exactly the right tone by treating this as a contest between two great footballing nations.
Rather than talk up the tensions, he has kept things measured, insisting this is simply a football match against a strong opponent with a good manager, nothing more. Our politicians could learn a great deal from that calm.
Assessing risk
Ann Widdecombe’s death should be a moment for seriousness, restraint and respect. Instead, Reform UK is already trying to turn tragedy into a political weapon, accusing the Government of failing Nigel Farage before the facts about his security arrangements are even clear.
Farage was offered taxpayer-funded protection and rejected it because his party believed the package was inadequate. That deserves proper examination, but it does not justify claims that ministers gambled with his life or treated him differently because of his politics.
Labour MP Jo Cox and Conservative MP Sir David Amess were both murdered while serving the public. Their deaths showed that threats cross party lines. Security must be decided by experts assessing risk, not by politicians exploiting grief to settle scores and stir suspicion.
In flick of time
Forget the face cream. Disregard the moisturiser. A trip to the pictures or a wander round a museum could knock three years off your biological age. Culture may be as good for us as exercise, researchers say. So grab the popcorn, admire a painting and enjoy growing old but slightly more slowly.
