It was a day that football fans back home had been dreaming of.
Wales, in their first World Cup for 64 years; England, getting their campaign under way with genuine hope of finally ending 56 years of hurt.
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And both can be satisfied with their opening salvos – Gareth Southgate’s men thrashing Iran to top the group, followed by Wales fighting back from behind to earn a point against the USA.
But this World Cup is anything but normal. There has been more drama off the pitch than on it so far, and it’s not much more than 24 hours old.
The decision to ban captains from wearing the OneLove armband – a gesture of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community – came late in the day, only three hours before England kicked off.
The frustration of the English and Welsh managers was clear, but in the end, they felt they were left with no choice.
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Meanwhile, outside the Khalifa International Stadium in…
