Video: Croatia 1-4 England

A 4-1 win was beyond our wildest expectations, as was a Walcott hat trick. But that’s what we got. So right now this is my favourite YouTube video of 2008. Better enjoy it now before the YouTube police see it.

If and when that happens (and it’s 99% inevitable, if degrees of inevitability actually exist) then I’ll do my best to replace it and keep this post as a permanent shrine to a night when the England team made me both happy and proud in a way I haven’t felt since Euro 2004 (before Roonaldo got injured.)

We shouldn’t get carried away; we’re not suddenly one of the world’s top teams. But if England keep playing with pace and confidence, then at the very least the next few years are going to be a lot more enjoyable than the last few.

update: It happened, YouTube took it down. But it’s been replaced above with two videos. Theo’s opening goal in the first, and all the other goals in the second.