Euro 2024 Final: Jerusalem 'brings it home' even if England didn't

Soccer fans from all over the world descended on the streets and pubs of Jerusalem late Sunday night to cheer on England and Spain for the Euro 2024 final, which took place in Berlin.

One hotspot to watch the game in the Israel capital was Mike’s Place, a sports bar on Jaffa Street surrounded by several other bars with a similar scene. For any serious soccer fans, what could have been the biggest 90 or 120 minutes of their lives was spent shoulder to shoulder along a cobblestone street, with 75-inch TVs in the distance, and England fans, Spain fans, and everyone else crammed into every corner.

Right up until 10 p.m., the bars and alleys, filled to maximum capacity, were calm. Servers darted between a maze of tables and couches, balancing trays of beer and chicken fingers, while fans chatted among themselves as though it were any other night on the town. Many wore merchandise, some wore their team’s colors, while others inadvertently signaled neutrality by wearing a white button-down shirt. All were ready for a fight.

The Jerusalem night, green-tinged from the projected field on the screen, was electric. Those who had managed to snag a spot on a couch settled into their seats, popped open their drinks, and waited.

And then: kick-off.

Cool air mixed with the smell of cigarettes, the crowd straightened and tensed almost in unison. For a moment, it was quiet. And then came the cursing.

Profanities yelled in Hebrew, English, or a mix of both echoed from the streets and rang out across the dimly lit square. “F**k England!” sang a chorus of Hebrew-speaking high school boys. They climbed on a stone fountain, pummeled their fists, and squinted to better view the tiny figures racing across the screens.

'I made Aliyah from England, but I will never abandon my team'

“What do you have against England?” someone who clearly was there just for the chaos asked.

The boys, laughing now, repeated the phrase again and again, their voices gradually rising, until, finally, Yonatan, a Jerusalem native, cut in to brag: “My dad is English and even I hate England.”

But, as far as numbers go, the England haters were the minority. When the Three Lions went down 1-0, it was agony. At Cole Palmer’s equalizer, the roar was primeval. Some hugged, some cried, and there was a strong sense of unity in the crowd.

“I made Aliyah from England, but I will never abandon my team,” one man said as he jumped out of his seat and threw his hands in the air.

To calm the nerves, it was necessary to indulge in an alcoholic beverage, and midway through the second half, many fans began to feel the effects. Some chattered expressively, others gave long and detailed speeches about their game predictions, and many sat slack-jawed and hyper-focused, the anticipation building. Soon, fans began to mirror their players. England fans sunk into their seats, exhausted, while Spain (or just anti-English) fans grew more raucous and excited.

We all know what happened next. Spain scored in the 87th minute, and it was over. However, England fans remained in high spirits, and across the square, the consensus was the same. As one Brit, decked out in his finest white and red, put it, “Yeah, I’m not shocked.”

Very few appeared truly dispirited. “England fans back their team all the way because it’s England, and we want to win,” said one Englishman with a shrug, nursing what looked to be his third or fourth beer. “But no one was convinced by this team. We’ve literally only managed to get here by the skin of our teeth.”

There were, however, a lot of angry British talk about coach Gareth Southgate after the game - a coping mechanism of sorts.

“This Euro may have demonstrated that it’s time for Southgate to step aside for a less rigid manager who doesn’t have loyalty to players from past tournaments,” one England fan said. “Spain’s manager trusted in youthful talent, whereas Southgate didn’t seem to trust our youth as much.”

Others were less coherent.

“Slovenia is not a strong team,” another boy said for no apparent reason, seconds after England lost. “They have a couple of good players, but overall… ” he trailed off, a forlorn look in his eye.

A lone group of Spanish fans dressed in white danced around with the Spanish flag as the pubs emptied into the wide-open streets. As if in a parade, viewers of all nationalities, colors, and ages marched home into the early morning, familiar football terms popping out from the mix of all their languages blending together.