England may have won their match against Germany at Euro 2020 on Tuesday night, but fans were heavily criticised for laughing when a young German fan was shown crying and later attacking her online.
Fans were ecstatic at the news that England would be playing in the quarter finals in Rome on Saturday, even more so at the prospect that football could well be “coming home.”
Their excitement was criticised as was their lack of grace in winning, as supporters at Wembley booed the German national anthem, sang inappropriate songs and cheered and laughed at a clip of a young German girl crying as her team looked set to lose the game.
Several took to Twitter, outraged at the England fans’ behaviour, calling it a “disgrace,” “disgusting,” “heartbreaking” and “sickening.”
England had scored their second goal of the match, and Thomas Muller was being substituted, having just missed an attempt at scoring and making a comeback for the German side, when the cameras panned onto a German family.
Clad in German national kit and with the German flag painted on her face, the young blonde could be seen in floods of tears, clinging onto what appeared to be her father.
Crowds cheered as the image appeared on the big screen at Wembley.
Things got worse online with Twitter users making fun of the young fan’s reaction before a series of memes, mocking the girl appeared on the internet.
Alastair Campbell, former press secretary to Tony Blair, condemned England fans’ behaviour, tweeting: “Twitter awash with ‘grown men’ jerking off at pic of a young German girl crying, having earlier enjoyed booing the German national anthem. Meanwhile German manager, team, German Ambassador and the brilliant @J_Klinsmann showing class which Southgate and @england team emulate.”
He went on to add: “Grace in defeat is a very special quality. Grace in victory ought to be a lot easier.”
Elsewhere, one Twitter user commented: “I was proud of England winning the match but some of the fans who are hating the Little German Girl who was crying in the stand don’t have humanity or class at all and they should be ashamed.”
While another wrote: “Can someone find that German girl who was crying at the end and let her know she’s awesome?”
