These are unprecedented times for England - enjoy them
England's national football team has reached the World Cup semi-finals, marking a period of unprecedented success for the squad. The team's recent performance signals a transition from historical underachievement to becoming consistent major tournament contenders.
Why it matters
The shift in England's competitive status reflects broader changes in national sports culture and the effectiveness of long-term team development.
Figure caption, Bellingham scores extra-time winner as England reach semi-finals
Football issues correspondent Published 20 minutes ago Ten years ago the suggestion that England could become serial contenders in major tournaments would have sounded laughable.
After all, the Three Lions had just been knocked out in the last 16 at Euro 2016 by Iceland.
That came on the back of a dismal World Cup in Brazil where England finished bottom of their group, signing off with a 0-0 draw against Costa Rica for their only point in the tournament.
Spearheaded by the brilliance of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, England now firmly belong in the conversation as potential champions.
Since Euro 2016, England have reached at least the semi-finals in four out of five tournaments. We are in unprecedented times.
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