ITV commentator Sam Matterface has come under fire after his commentary during England's Euro 2020 semi-final against Denmark sparked 68 complaints to Ofcom. The 48-year-old sports broadcaster urged viewers to call in sick to work and keep their children up late to celebrate the victory.
Controversial Commentary
During the match at Wembley Stadium, which England won 2-1 to secure a place in the final, Matterface said: "I tell you what, if this comes off, you can do what you want tonight. You've had a terrible 16 months. Kids you can stay up, don't you dare go to bed. The rest of you call your boss, you ain't coming in in the morning." He added: "You deserve this, England deserves this. Feel it, ride it. All that pent-up emotion which is 50 seconds away. Just try to be safe and follow the rules, or I'm going to be in one hell of a lot of trouble."
Viewer Backlash
While Matterface intended the remarks to be light-hearted, many viewers found them inappropriate, especially given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Social media users branded the comments "ridiculous" and "unprofessional." One viewer wrote: "Just a word on how utterly awful Sam Matterface was last night. He was bad enough during the match with his child-like level of football understanding, but his ramble after the match was all-time cringe." Another said: "Such vacuous commentary. At the end Sam Matterface said 'Call your boss and say you're not coming in tomorrow'. Seriously? Aside from how ridiculous that is, many people don't have jobs at the moment Sam, because there's a global pandemic."
Ofcom Complaints
The broadcasting watchdog Ofcom received 68 complaints about Matterface's commentary. Critics argued that encouraging viewers to disregard workplace and parental responsibilities was irresponsible. One viewer questioned: "Just for the record will that hold up in a disciplinary?" Another added: "Does Sam Matterface think that no other nation has suffered from COVID? 'After the tough 16 months we've had, England deserves this.'"
England's Tournament Journey
England ultimately lost the final to Italy in a dramatic penalty shootout at Wembley. They also exited the 2022 World Cup in the quarter-finals and lost the Euro 2024 final to Spain. Under manager Thomas Tuchel, England are now aiming for their first trophy since 1966 at the upcoming World Cup in the United States, beginning with a match against Croatia in Arlington, Texas.
