Results tagged “Geoff Hurst” from The Sports Desk

I'm having an argument with myself, the kind that fans of any sport have now and then.

The United States soccer team plays England in a "friendly" game Wednesday at Wembley Stadium (lunchtime here in Los Angeles), and I'm debating how to root.

Reasons that maybe I should root for England: My mom's side of the family is English. I normally root for England in soccer, cricket, rugby, international team sports where conflicts with the United States are rare. The first sports event I was ever aware of was England's 1966 World Cup triumph. I was 5 years old, and we were in England when it happened. A little cardboard figure of '66 hero Geoff Hurst stands on my office filing cabinet. The first sport I followed (on another vacation, a few years later) was English league soccer. I have five England jerseys for different sports and years. There won't be many chances to cheer on England this year, since it failed to qualify for the European Championship.

Reasons that maybe I should root for the United States: I'm American.

Am I a bad American if I cheer for England? Am I a bad son-of-an-Englishwoman if I cheer for the U.S.? Am I a bad Angeleno if I neglect to look at this game as a duel between Galaxy teammates Landon Donovan (U.S.) and David Beckham (England)? Should I hope the U.S. plays well enough to stoke national pride but England prevails on the scoreboard? Vice-versa?

Suggestions?