Why England’s national story runs through soccer

This post was originally published on Politico.

Soccer is so much more than just a sport — especially in the U.K.

That was the central message from playwright James Graham — creator of the hit play and TV drama “Dear England” about the psychology of the England men’s football team — when he joined POLITICO’s Westminster Insider podcast to discuss the powerful relationship between politics and the national game.

For Graham, soccer’s importance runs far deeper than results on the pitch. He recalled the hours after Gareth Southgate missed his penalty in the semifinal against Germany at Euro ‘96: “I remember … not being able to explain