Boy, oh boy, watching England beat Norway in the World Cup while in an English pub was fun. I know it was a privilege, but being there on Saturday night, July 11, into Sunday, July 12, 2026, gave me a chance to enjoy the company of a lot of people.
England won, 2-1, in extra time. The group I was with was down to me and another person when we left the pub — founded in 1350 — after regulation ended. As we walked through the near-empty streets just past midnight, we heard a roar. A block ahead of us, a group of people stood looking through a window. They went bananas, cheering in the street.
There was no question about what had happened.
A group of Americans I was with went to the Bell and Crown Tavern in Salisbury, England. Becky Woods and Max Bush struck up a conversation with me. Well, Becky did. She was the extrovert, plus British people in pubs are so friendly.
“Becky and Max, we’re just good friends,” Becky, who lives outside Salisbury, said. “We love football.”
“We would kill for football,” Max said.
Whew. Talk about dedication.
“Who are you for?” Becky, but also other people at the table, asked.
“England,” I answered each time.
“It’s like cheering for your parents,” I said, a silly reference to our colonial days until 250 years ago.
Things looked bad at first for the home team. Even though England dominated possession in the first half, Norway scored first. Three Norwegians were in the tavern. They said the Brits were treating them nicely. The Norwegians were gracious visitors. They did not make a big display after the first goal but stood and cheered.
A sense of panic swept through the tavern after Norway’s goal.
“Somebody’s gotta get a grip,” an announcer on ITV1 said.
Then England scored the tying goal in first-half stoppage time. Oh, happy day in the old empire.
An aside: Let me mention how hot it is in England. Temperatures have been in the unusually warm upper 80s to near 90. Temperatures that high are so rare that few buildings in England have air conditioning. The Bell and Crown is among those without air-conditioning.
It was hot in that tavern. Climate change is real in Europe, which is surrounded by oceans that are getting warmer and disrupting the weather patterns to which Europeans long have been accustomed.
Also, my bar tab got out of control.
Anyway, a fortunate call for England on a penalty erased Norway’s potential go-ahead goal in first-half stoppage time, and the game remained tied, 1-1. As is often the case in soccer, it was still tied, 1-1, at the end of regulation.
Others in the group with Becky and Max were just as passionate about football. I asked them what Americans do not understand about the sport, and they usually said their version of soccer rightfully holds the title of football.
People I spoke with also were complimentary of the United States. William Greven, who did a year of postgraduate study at the University of North Florida, said he loves the candor he experienced in the United States.
“People in England can be cheeky and down a little bit. But in America, people bring you up, and they want you to succeed,” he said.
At least we have that, even if our pubs are not 676 years old and the United States lost its chance to advance in the World Cup like England did on a splendid night in the country’s south side.
Fans in a Salisbury, England, tavern celebrate when England ties its July 11, 2026, World Cup match against Norway.
Lyle Muller is a member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. Check out some of the collaborative’s most recent reporting in this week’s summary.
Share Lyle Muller Doesn't Have a Fancy Column Title
You may purchase a copy of my book at links below if it interests you.
No posts
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.