"People become legends overnight" says Jermain Defoe on the magic of the World Cup
The former England forward explains why World Cup football remains the sport's ultimate stage
With the World Cup taking place across North America, millions of fans are adapting to disrupted routines, bleary-eyed mornings and alarm clocks set for the middle of the night. According to E.ON Next research, around eight million fans are expected to tune into late-night fixtures this summer, with many changing work schedules and daily habits to make sure they don't miss a moment.
It's why Defoe has teamed up with E.ON Next's Watch and Wash campaign, encouraging supporters to make use of cheaper off-peak electricity while watching matches. The idea is simple: if you're already staying up for football, you may as well put the washing machine on too.
While the campaign focuses on smart habits off the pitch, Defoe's attention is firmly on what could happen on it, how the summer will go and why E. ON Next’s campaign is so important.
Why the World Cup still stops the nation
For Defoe, there is still nothing quite like a World Cup. "It's just football," he says. "Football's got this thing of bringing people together. When football's on, especially the World Cup, it is the pinnacle of sport, and I feel like it brings everyone together."
The time difference may force fans to change their routines, but he believes that only adds to the occasion.
"It's different as well. People sort of complain about the kick-off times and stuff like that, but because it's different, because you're having to set your alarms and wake up, I'm excited for it, to be honest."
More than anything, he sees major tournaments as a rare moment of collective optimism. "As a nation, you come together and try to support this group of players and try to achieve something special. I'm looking forward to it."
Missing tournament football
Having represented England at multiple major tournaments, Defoe admits there are plenty of things he misses about international football.
"Just everything," he says. "Just the whole environment. Being amongst a group of players that potentially got a chance of creating history."
For him, the World Cup remains the pinnacle of the game. "You look over the course of World Cups over the years, even as a young kid growing up watching them, and you know how people just become legends overnight."
That opportunity is what makes the tournament so special for the players involved.
"If you represent your country at a World Cup, it's the biggest thing. For this group of players to have that opportunity to go and do it again, the ones that have been there before and the ones going to their first tournament, you've just got to embrace it because it goes quick."
Defoe believes England's opening matches could prove crucial. "I think it's important to start a tournament well and then hopefully you build a little bit of momentum, and you can go on and achieve something special."
The small margins that make the difference
The Watch and Wash campaign centres around the idea that small changes can make a big difference, something that resonates with Defoe's own experiences as a player.
"I've tried everything," he says. "You have to try and tick all the boxes and try and get an advantage." That mindset extended well beyond training sessions.
"You have to be able to do things that maybe you're thinking other people aren't willing to do in terms of your recovery, your diet, how you train, how you live. It's that 24-hour athlete."
Naturally, that attention to detail often drifted into superstition. "If I scored a goal or had a really good game, I'd want to wear the same boots. You want your preparations to be identical."
One particular example still makes him smile. "I remember scoring five goals against Wigan for Tottenham, and then the new boot colour came out. I was told I had to wear the new ones, but I was thinking, 'I can't change this boot at the minute.'" Footballers, it turns out, can be just as irrational as supporters when things are going well.
The pressure fans never see
One thing Defoe is keen to stress is that the pressure of playing for England is often underestimated from the outside. "I think people don't understand the pressure," he says. "You hear a lot of people speak like it's easy. You just couldn't imagine the pressure of playing for England."
That pressure has only intensified as England has edged closer to ending its long wait for major silverware. Reaching finals and semi-finals has raised expectations rather than easing them.
"When you play for England, there's an expectation and a demand to win football matches and a demand to win major tournaments." Because England has come so close in recent years, supporters now travel to tournaments with genuine belief.
"We've been in touching distance. We've been so close over the last few tournaments." At the same time, that belief inevitably creates another layer of pressure for the players themselves.
"Because we've come so close, and because it's been so long, it's almost like we're just so desperate as a nation to win a major tournament."
Still, Defoe believes that pressure is part of what makes international football special. "If we managed to do it, could you imagine the celebrations over here? For the country, it would just be something so special."
Jermain Defoe's World Cup predictions
- Winner: France
- Runner-up: England
- Dark horses: Japan, or "hopefully an African Nation"
- Player of the tournament: Bruno Fernandes or Michael Olise
- Top scorer: Harry Kane or Kylian Mbappé
Skip the search — follow Shortlist on Google News to get our best lists, news, features and reviews at the top of your feeds!
