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My New Free World Cup Wall Chart 2026

Crispin Thomas

Sunday, June 7th, 2026

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 the George Cross flags mean something else
than all the times before
when they would fly at World Cup time
but not much any more
the local pubs are struggling now
away across this land
and FIFA’s made the tournament
beyond the faithful fan
while Trump and Infantino
have torn our game apart
they’ve ripped its’soul and made their goal
to fleece us from the start
but I won’t let their glaring greed
destroy my love at all
’cause I’ve got my free World Cup Chart
right here upon my wall

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 I nabbed it from some café
inside a Sunday Times
while on the front lay pictures
of yet more stark war crimes
from Tehran on to Gaza
from Moscow to Ukraine
where Donald’s stuck his oar in
and meddled once again
I used to get excited
my days were neatly planned
I’d watch and listen to it all
with my pen in hand

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 in ’58 I had one
I stayed up late at night
saw Pelé on our first TV
right there in black and white
it seems so strange and diff’rent now
I almost feel ashamed
to be beside my tv screen
and sit to watch a game
I feel like a hypocrite
I know I’m not alone
what happened to the magic
of tournaments we’ve known?
but all those days are gone now
they’re distant memories
when we’d repeat the games in streets
with lamp-posts coats and trees
but I’ll still follow England
and get behind Ukraine
and even shout for Scotland
well ev’ry now and then
and I guess I’ll get drawn in
no matter what I say
the colour and the spectacle
the shocks along the way
and though my heart is sad now
each time they kick the ball
right from the start I’ll fill my chart
once more upon my Wall

Notes

This , shamelessly revamped, re-written and updated version (yet again, I hear you cry) .OK but it is a slightly different scan rhythm*(allegedly) from my original Euro 16 Wall Chart poem published here 10 years go .But you get the picture.

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Source: https://footballpoets.org/poems/my-shameful-new-free-world-cup-wall-chart-2026/