Andy Burnham pens emotional message to England team ahead of 2026 World Cup showdown

Despite England's politics seemingly being in disarray, prime minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham says the country's team performance in the World Cup is a unifying factor.

In a write-up in The Mirror, he penned, "Sometimes it can feel like these moments, when the entire country comes together, are few and far between nowadays."

The ex-Manchester mayor continued, "That’s why this World Cup has made me feel hopeful. Not just because Harry Kane has brought his shooting boots and Jordan Pickford is having the tournament of his life. But because the whole country feels like it’s going on the same journey together."

Not stopping there, Burnham added, "Parents letting kids stay up until the early hours to watch the games live; pub-goers cheering a re-run of Pointless on the big screen because they don’t want the party to end."

"These are our teams, forged in our communities, representing our places," he concluded.

Burnham's remarks come as England is set to face a do-or-die match against Norway on July 11.