Opinion: We can still get behind our boys at the World Cup

It’s a wet and blustery November, not the summer – and the host nation’s record is controversial. I’ll get to that in a moment.

But the matches will still matter to billions of people. Most of the world will come together, watching and dreaming about what is always a special tournament.

There will, of course, be more talent on display than my team could muster in the recent charity match against Peterborough City FC in Bretton. Some players have the gift and others don’t.

Although I’d feel guilty about leaving my constituents for up to a month, I have made myself available should any member of the England squad drop out through injury.

More seriously, the World Cup is a multi-national, multi-racial event. The England and Wales teams carry the hopes of our United Kingdom and reflect its diversity. I am proud of young people everywhere that make this such a spectacle.

England have a fantastic young squad this year and were absolutely magic in our 6-2 opener against Iran. Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka were particularly impressive, with the whole team working well together.

The games with the United States and Wales will test us, but I’m sure we can go through at the top of our group.

There will be shocks. The first was Saudi Arabia coming back from 1-0 down at half time and beating one of the perennial favourites, Argentina. That was highly entertaining.

However, we can’t avoid the controversy beyond the football. Following a bid process riven with allegations of corruption, there are serious ethical concerns about Qatar.

It does not recognise gay and lesbian rights. Any displays of same-sex affection are illegal and acts carry a prison sentence.

Qatari women have no legal protection against domestic violence. Conditions for migrant workers have been compared to modern slavery, with deaths associated with the construction of the tournament’s stadiums.

Football shouldn’t be political and Western countries, including our own, had similar laws in living memory. That doesn’t mean that we can just ignore the issues involved and we aren’t.

However, we can get behind our national side. I remember when the Three Lions song came out with its “30 years of hurt”. We’ve now had 56 years of hurt and some respite would be welcome.

A semi-final and a final in our last two competitions isn’t bad going. It’s progress. We can hold our heads up again.

That progress gives us a reason to believe in Gareth Southgate’s project and our potential.

I know our boys will do us proud. And I know that, across the city, we will be watching and supporting England.

Peterborough always does. Let’s just hope that we aren’t all watching from behind the sofa in another penalty shootout against the Germans.