World Cup fans have been left staggered by a cheeky quip one American commentator made during England's draw with Ghana. There was not much to smile about for the Three Lions fans after Thomas Tuchel's side were held to a stalemate by the Africans. However, those who watched the coverage on the American channel FOX were left giggling by a comment made by commentator John Strong.
Commentator's Revolutionary War Reference
At the start of the match, the experienced broadcaster casually said: “Ghana have never beaten England. It would be a huge shock but, as we know, the English historically struggle here in Massachusetts.” This comment may have gone over some people's heads, but it was quickly noticed by American viewers and plenty on X.
Strong was referring to the Revolutionary War against the British, which saw them lose key battles in the area. These include the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the Siege of Boston and the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Fan Reactions
It was a joke which chimed well with the American audience, with one fan writing: “Such a casually brilliant line”, while another added, “Brilliant. And it'll have been lost on so many people.” A third fan responded to the clip: “Just savage” while another said: “Give this commentator a raise.”
In the end, Strong was proved right as England did indeed struggle in Massachusetts. They could not break down a Ghanaian side that defended brilliantly throughout the game.
Match Context
It was a stark contrast to the goal-laden start England enjoyed when they overcame Croatia 4-2 in their opening match. After the draw with Ghana, Tuchel called for calm, saying: “We don’t need a wake-up call. Everyone is alert and everyone is fully committed, there can be no doubt. I can assure that to everyone else. There was no overconfidence in our game. Not at all. If there was anything, there was maybe in some moments a bit of over-cautious. It is what it is. But we have four points out of two matches and still a match to play. And we are able to win our last match and we will try to win it, of course. It is very important that the highs don’t get too high and the lows get not too low. And today is not a low, it is just a difficult match.”
