An English barber, known for shaving a St George cross into his hair, joined the crowd of England fans in Berlin for the Euro 2024 final.
Sam Tattersall, 29, traveled from Nottingham to Berlin with friends, deciding on a whim to soak up the match-day atmosphere. To mark the occasion, Tattersall shaved a cross into his hair and dyed it red.
“I was going to get my hair cut and thought I’d go for it with the St George’s cross because football’s coming home,” he said. “I keep forgetting about my hair and noticing people looking at me. I wish I had used permanent dye instead of spray because it’s coming off in the rain.”
He mentioned that if England loses, he’ll shave it off on Tuesday, but if they win, it could stay for a year. His distinctive hairdo drew attention from both Spanish and English fans, who posed for pictures with him.
Rob Cheetham, 24, from Wiltshire, was also in Berlin, looking forward to the end of the tournament after a long camping trip in Essen, Germany.
“We’ve been camping since June 12,” Cheetham said. “It’s been great fun, but I want to go home. Every time we’ve gone to a game, we’ve come back with different groups of people. We’ve had barbecues at our campsite.”
He added, “We’ve camped through eight thunderstorms so far. It’s meant to be June and July—eight thunderstorms, it’s a joke.”
Excitement was high near the Brandenburg Gate on Sunday, with England and Spain fans gathering ahead of the match. England supporters set off flares and sang on one side of Wilhelmstrasse, while Spanish fans danced and waved flags on the other side. German police in riot gear stood nearby, monitoring the situation.
Some England fans took their celebrations to extremes. One man in an England shirt climbed a flagpole, while others stood on tables drinking beer and chanting. Among the songs sung by the supporters was “Ten German Bombers,” which refers to the “RAF from England” shooting down German aircraft.
England manager Gareth Southgate has previously condemned chants referencing the First and Second World Wars as “unacceptable.”
