The football-mad Prime Minister joked that England only win World Cups under Labour governments as he cheered on Thomas Tuchel’s men in their game against CroatiaThe England team are hoping to end 60 years of hurt in this year’s World Cup(Image: Chris Arjoon/Shutterstock)Keir Starmer has left the door open to allowing the nation a bank holiday if England wins the World Cup – but said he does not want to “jinx” the team’s success.The football-mad Prime Minister said he was hopeful about the Three Lions’ chances against Croatia tonight in the first of the group games. Asked if he’d back a bank holiday if they triumph, the PM told reporters at the G7 summit: “I’m not gonna jinx the World Cup but, you know, the last time we won the World Cup it was a Labour government.“And so it’s absolutely clear that we only win World Cups under a Labour government. So let’s hope that this is the next opportunity. He’s got a great squad. This is going to be a good game tonight, probably the hardest in the group games this evening.”In 2022, the PM backed calls for the Tory Government to grant an extra bank holiday if the Lionesses roar to victory in the Euros final.OPINIONFootball-mad Keir Starmer previously called for a bank holiday if the Lionesses won the Euros(Image: Isabel Infantes/Pool Reuters via)The football-mad Labour leader – who was then in Opposition – at the time heaped pressure on Boris Johnson to give the nation a day to celebrate if England’s women’s team won in the final.At the time, Mr Starmer told the Mirror: “The whole country will be roaring on the Lionesses in the final on Sunday. They have already done us proud, but if they win it will be a truly historic achievement – one that should be marked with a proper day of celebration, where clubs can open and promote access for women and girls.”England face a tough test against Croatia at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Texas, the back-to-back European Champions, on Wednesday night. Ahead of the game, the Prime Minister said: “Tonight we can dare to dream again. We have a brilliant Three Lions squad, packed with the talent and experience, to get that second star on the shirt. Like every England fan, I’ll be roaring on Thomas Tuchel, Harry Kane, and the entire England squad. Come on England!”Ahead of the match, head coach Thomas Tuchel said he wanted his players to be bold and brave as England finally gets their World Cup quest under way. Croatia came third in the World Cup final by finishing third in Qatar in 2022 and they will provide England with the chance to start their summer with a statement victory on Wednesday.“I think we should play brave and play to the strengths of the players,” Tuchel said of his approach to the tournament. “I feel clearly that the players want it and that it helps us, and that they are successful in club football like this.”The Scottish Government approved a Bank Holiday on Monday, after Scotland’s first World Cup fixture in 28 hours was held at 2am on Sunday morning.
