NOW we've – more or less – survived the flim-flam and self-pitying dramatics of the sense of (frankly spurious) self-entitlement contained in the trope of "52 years of hurt", we should pay tribute to two admirable aspects of the Croatia-England football match result.

One is the grounded common sense of the England manager Gareth Southgate, whose dignified realism, as his team went two stages into the World Cup competition beyond where its FIFA rating might have led one to expect, was exemplary. The second is the way a team, representing a relatively small country, with a population smaller than Scotland's and only recently independent, has reached the final showing determination, self-confidence, stamina and skill. If they win, they will be the second smallest country after Uruguay to have won a world cup, an inspirational reminder of Schumacher's dictum that that small is beautiful rather than big being necessarily better.

Professor Ian Brown,

34 Dalmeny Avenue, Giffnock.