Two World Wars, One World Cup, and a German to Save England: Why Thomas Tuchel is Exactly What the Three Lions Need

It’s the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and an Englishman, in an MTN commercial, is teaching his son the proudest anthem of them all, “Two World Wars and one World Cup, England, England!” with the kind of gusto only the English can muster.

Then, just as they step into an elevator filled with German fans, the song dies on his lips, and as if scripted by the football gods, his son picks it up again. The father covers the boy's mouth like he’s stifling the beginnings of a riot. It’s funny, awkward, and slightly ominous, considering what happens later in that tournament.

The  England-Germany rivalry — it’s got everything: war, ghost goals, and revenge. The peak, of course, was Geoff Hurst’s “was it or wasn’t it?” goal in 1966 that denied Germany a World Cup win and handed England their only slice of footballing glory. Fast forward to 2010, and karma arrived in the shape of Manuel Neuer, who coolly flicked away a ball that had clearly crossed the line, denying England a crucial equalizer. As if history was saying, "Yeah, about that 1966 goal… we’re even now.”

https://breakingthelines.com/ode/manuel-neuer-the-goalkeeper-of-all-era/