Wrexham, Lasso and the Football Fad with Bonus Commentary on England vs Italy

During the international break football becomes briefly less intense for many of us addicts. Of course there are always a couple games to stir the patriotic passions. Tuesday’s England vs Italy was just such a match. With an embarrassment of talent at right back Southgate switched Trippier to the left. You just can’t keep this speedy and creative Bury lad off the pitch!

England came back from a goal down – a shock 15 minute reversal for England as Scamacca fired in from close range after some slick ball movement. But Rashford already had the Wembley throng on the edge of their seats with a dipping long range free kick that skimmed the crossbar!
An imperious penalty kick from Kane leveled it after Bellingham was brought down. There was some exciting end-to-end, and some cynical play from Italy who were lucky not to give up a hat trick of penalties!  Bellingham was innovative brilliance and warrior fortitude personified. (See Warriors and Virtuosos in the menu for portraits of Miggy Almiron and Declan Rice).

Then…What a goal from Rashford!  After a juggling sprint through the Italian midfield from Bellingham, (who else?) Rashford tore through the defenders and lashed the ball low into the bottom right hand corner!  Catch it on YouTube – international goal of the season?  And Kane put the icing on the cake with a breakaway and signature strong , composed finish!  Three of the best goals you will ever see!  Here’s the highlights if you missed this classic. https://youtube.com/watch?v=LcKoyrvqE4I&si=gJeuD80-bUAuk9uU

But this post is not just about England bringing it home, resurgent though they are!  And Saka’s injury was a godsend for Italy. Otherwise they would have been ripped open by Saka from the right as well as Rashford from the left and Bellingham up the middle!  With strength at every position (except left center back(!) England will be favorites, alongside France, for the World Cup in the US 2026

My point is about the US though. Americans have not failed to notice the wealth of ‘soccer’ entertainment available on the streaming services.  Ted Lasso (Apple TV)  undoubtedly greased the skids for Welcome to Wrexham (Netflix). Establishing conditions not just for Wrexham the show but for the Reynolds/McElhaney takeover itself!  Both Lasso and Wrexham are about transatlantic collaborations. Both indulge the US taste for British humor and that sense of community that seems to have leaked out of American neighborhoods.

Before the current crop I remember The Two Escobars (ESPN). An early 20 for 20 and now a vintage classic!  When the World Cup comes back to the US we will mark the thirty second anniversary of the brutal and tragic murder of Andres Escobar. My earlier blog post tells his story.

I also enjoyed Sunderland Till I Die (Prime). And of course All or Nothing: Manchester City (Prime) and All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspurs (Netflix) and now All or Nothing: Arsenal (Prime) take you inside those thtee storied clubs. You see the tactics talks, the despair of the injury table, the day in day out relentlessness of training, the dedicated, faithful support staff and most of all the anxious, the loyal, the Fans!

My point is about the US though. Americans have not failed to notice the wealth of ‘soccer’ entertainment available on the streaming services.  Ted Lasso (Apple TV)  undoubtedly greased the skids for Welcome to Wrexham (Netflix). Establishing conditions not just for Wrexham the show but for the Reynolds/McElhaney takeover itself!  Both Lasso and Wrexham are about transatlantic collaborations. Both indulge the US taste for British humor and that sense of community that seems to have leaked out of American neighborhoods.

Before the current crop I remember The Two Escobars (ESPN). An early 20 for 20 and now a vintage classic!  When the World Cup comes back to the US we will mark the thirty second anniversary of the brutal and tragic murder of Andres Escobar. My earlier blog post tells his story.

I also enjoyed Sunderland Till I Die (Prime). And of course All or Nothing: Manchester City (Prime) and All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspurs (Netflix) and now All or Nothing: Arsenal (Prime) take you inside those two storied clubs. You see the tactics talks, the despair of the injury table, the day in day out relentlessness of training, the dedicated, faithful support staff and most of all the anxious, the loyal, the Fans!

Other things to catch on the streamers are biopics about Pele and Beckham (both on Netflix). And if you want to see vintage classics. Look for She’s the Man (soccer meets Shakespeare!) The English Game (for history buffs and class warriors). This is Football draws a worldwide map of the international impact of the game in six episodes. Fever Pitch is a 1997 adaptation of the Nick Hornsby novel.  And then there’s the incomparable Bend it Like Beckham.

Of course the increased exposure is at least partly because the World Cup is coming to the United States (along with Mexico and Canada) in 2026. It’s just the start of the build up and US audiences will see much more!

So there’s no shortage of coverage now. But what does it all have in common?  Belonging. belonging, Belonging!  Sappy Americans call it ‘Community’.   Anthropologists call it tribalism. But for the true football fan it’s the unadulterated joy of sitting down (or standing) with your mates for a couple of hours to share in the weekly celebration of what binds us!  Our town!  Our team!  Our game!