Using sporting parlance, I can say that the people of England today felt "gutted" and "robbed".
In spite of the sterling efforts of a King-to-be, Prince William, a footballing superstar, David Beckham, and Prime Minister David Cameron who led a team which included many other luminaries from the world of English football, the nation today learnt that it lost its campaign to host the 2018 World Cup. The so-called 'Three Lions' attended the three day finale in Zurich, Switzerland of what has been a two year campaign. Alas, we lost out to Russia.
The whole process has been complicated by allegations of corruption, particularly from the British media who had suggested that some of the voting officals of FIFA, the international football federation. The organisation rejected these accusations and it is beleived in some quarters that this adversely impacted on England's chances of success. Because of the lack of transparency at FIFA, we may never know what really happened.
This now means that England, who last hosted the World Cup in 1966 when we beat West Germany 4-2 in a dramatic final, that the event cannot again come to England until at least 2030 when your grandfather will be 70 and you, my dear Yael, will be 20 years old. It seems like a long time to wait, but if England wins its then, I shall be pleased to take you to some of the matches.
Grandpa Jonathan
