This is why the England team took off their medals after Euro 2020 final defeat

Football fans couldn’t help but notice that, after being presented with their runner-up medals following their Euros defeat last night, most of the England squad instantly removed them from around their necks.

But why?

Manager Gareth Southgate – who is on track for a knighthood for the role he played in getting England to their first major tournament final since 1966 – kept his medal on, but players like Captain Harry Kane, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Kyle Walker and Marcus Rashford were seen removing them shortly after being presented with them.

Opinions on the players’ actions have been seriously divided online, however, with many fans slamming the players as ‘sore losers.’ One social media user wrote: “Absolutely appalling seeing them take their runners up medals off, we just got to a major tournament final and only have ourselves to blame for loss.”

Another commented: “I hope the England players take a leaf out of the Croatian players book after 2018. They were proud to make the final and still showed off their medals. A semi final and final in two consecutive tournaments. It’s brilliant and a lot to build upon.”

However, others defended their actions, pointing out that other teams from all over the world have done the exact same thing. One Twitter user explained: “A lot of comments about England team taking off their runners-up medals … It’s what almost every player, from every country, international or club, does after losing a final. They lost. They’re gutted. Don’t rub it in and make them wear it.”

Well, it turns out that the act isn’t an unusual thing for sportsmen and women to do because removing silver medals has been a trend in the sporting world in recent years.

Manchester City players could be seen removing medals after losing the Champions League final to Chelsea last season, for example, while England players did the same following their Rugby World Cup final defeat by South Africa in 2019.

While many of us could see this act as a sign of poor sportsmanship, in the eyes of an athlete partaking in group sport, a silver medal is nothing to be celebrated as it means you were beaten. 

England’s dreams of Euros glory were shattered last night when Italy beat them 3-2 at a penalty shootout, only adding to the ‘fifty-five years of hurt’ but leaving the nation expressing pride at their achievements.