England’s football fans share many emotions before every major tournament. Perhaps none is more keenly felt than the legacy of disappointment and hope for the future. This World Cup has been no different. England beat mediocre teams to get themselves into the last eight. Expectations race ahead of the side’s visible, albeit youthful, talents. The Swedish team England face on Saturday will no doubt provide stiffer opposition. Yet something feels different. There’s an inkling this England squad has hidden depths. Unlike teams over the last 22 years, it won a big game on penalties. In a rare departure, the England manager Gareth Southgate is articulate and thoughtful – recognising sporting success could awaken something in the country. Nations tell stories of themselves to make sense of their experience. TV audiences suggest a yearning for a tale that binds us together. Support for England is about shared values. It is a form of patriotism, something to be worn lightly in the manner that George Orwell suggested. The Swedes are not the enemy; they are rivals for a prize that both of us seek but only one can win.