16/07/2026
The day after.
England played yesterday, and sadly lost.
There will be many reflections. What-ifs. If-onlys. What might have been.
But don't miss the moment.
You may not always know how to start the conversation or get a child truly onside. But if they're football mad ā or even just caught up in the moment like the rest of the nation ā why not use it?
People were in pubs and at home, glued to their screens. Even people who'd never call themselves football fans.
Football can do that. And right now, that's a door worth walking through.
Not "how are you feeling?" ā which gets a shrug.
But "should you pass or keep the ball when your teammate isn't trying?" ā which gets a conversation.
On the Ball is a free, football-focused resource for children aged 7ā11. No login. No cost. Works in classrooms, pastoral sessions, mentoring, small groups ā and at home.
Even if football didn't make it home ā we can still help some children to cope better.
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