Steve Cardownie: If England win the World Cup, good on them '“ just spare us the nonsense

Well, the World Cup has taken off and we have been treated to some great football and tremendous goals but already some commentators have lapsed into hyperbole when describing England's performance on Monday.

Harry Kane celebrates scoring England's winning goal on Monday night against Tunisia. Picture: PA

We were only 20 or so minutes into the game against Tunisia when the comment was made that England were probably playing the best football so far in the tournament. Spain’s wonderful passing game and Mexico’s tenacity and organisation when overcoming Germany already ignored and consigned to the dustbin.

A recent opinion poll amongst English football fans highlighted that only two per cent of them believed England could win the World Cup, with the largest group plumping for representation in the quarter-finals and no further.

It is a great pity that the realistic expectations of the fans is not replicated by the utter nonsense spouted by commentators who could well do with some lessons in humility and objectivity. I hope that the team that plays the best football, that commits the least foul play and does not succumb to play-acting and diving wins the cup.

Should that prove to be England, then good on them, they would have deserved it – despite the ludicrous utterances we will continue to suffer from some quarters.