Don't wave during the National Anthem

Today England play Slovenia (once part of Czechoslovakia), in the World Cup, in a winner takes all sort of game. The England team have come under some pressure recently, but hopefully they'll remember what is important. That football is just a game and that family and friends come first. Have a look at the picture below. England are playing Germany in a big match in Berlin, but still find time to wave to their family before kick off.


In 1938, the England team, including the english legend Stanley Matthews, went to play Germany. Hitler had suggested to the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, that they could have a kick around, with the winner getting first dibs in selecting regions to enlarge their global empires. Actually, the reality was that Neville was a bit wet and was pandering to Adolf, and thought that a nice game of football might help ensure 'Peace in our Time'. Luckily England were widely considered the best in the world at the time and won 6-3. Therefore they got to choose six regions they wanted to annex. Neville went for Dorset, Scotland, Wales, Hampshire, Devon and the Isle of Wight. Adolf, like a true gent, took this on the chin and then selected his three regions: Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland - and promptly invaded them.

In fact, Hitler wasn't even at the game between England and Germany, so the England team performing a Nazi salute was pretty pointless and created much chagrin back home. It's worth noting that Hitler hated sport and wasn't very good at it. See below a picture of him as a young boy begging not to be forced to play a game of football down at the local park.


So the Slovenians might line up for the national anthems at todays big game with mild apprehension. If the England players start waving, then their homeland might be at risk of invasion.