It’s the hope that kills you

The ‘coolest girl in college’ behind Burnham’s rise | Robbie Collin reviews The Odyssey

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Thursday, 16 July 2026 Issue No. 508

Good morning. The hurt goes on for England. Another loss in the latter stages of a major tournament, and the feeling is depressingly familiar. The talking points are endless: the fiery build-up which made way for a fiery encounter, Argentina’s dirty tricks, Thomas Tuchel’s questionable tactics after taking the lead, the Argentines’ political celebrations and ugly scenes on the pitch at the full-time whistle. Oliver Brown, our Chief Sports Writer, was in Atlanta to witness it all. In the end, with England coming so close, it’s the hope that kills you. Chris Evans, Editor P.S. Don’t miss this season’s hottest offer. Try a whole year of The Telegraph for £19 – only in our Summer Sale. If you’re already a subscriber make sure you’re logged in to read today’s stories.   In today’s edition The ‘coolest girl in college’ behind Andy Burnham’s rise — Robbie Collin gives The Odyssey five stars — Plus, two minutes of puzzling a day can boost brain health

Summer Sale: One year for just £19 Think outside your inbox. Unlock full access to our free-thinking journalism, plus thousands of fun puzzles. Subscribe now   World cup diary It’s the hope that kills you A despondent Jude Bellingham after England’s defeat Oliver Brown Chief Sports Writer at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta   This was an ending to haunt England’s worst nightmares. Five minutes from beating Argentina and reaching a first World Cup final since 1966, they threw it all away, taken apart once more by the first truly world-class opponents they confronted. Ultimately, the blame rested with Thomas Tuchel. He was meant to be the man to take the national team to the next frontier, but on a truly shattering night here in Atlanta, he committed the same mistake as his predecessor, desperately protecting a lead rather than truly chasing glory. It proved to be a fateful error, enabling the defending champions to score twice at the death and prolong English anguish for at least another four years. No sooner were England ahead through Anthony Gordon’s goal than they sat deep, substituted strikers for central defenders and invited all the Argentinian pressure on to them. You might be able to sustain that for two minutes, but not for 20. You might find that the approach works against Mexico, but not against Lionel Messi. It is their fatal flaw, this tendency to retreat into their shells just as the ultimate prize beckons. Just as when playing against Croatia in the 2018 World Cup semi-final, and against Italy in the Euro 2020 final, England paid the price, as Enzo Fernandez and then Lautaro Martinez stole it at the death to send Argentina to a second straight final against Spain on Sunday. At the full-time whistle, tempers frayed. Jude Bellingham slapped Argentinian substitute Valentin Barco on the head, which sparked an on-field fracas. Jude Bellingham slaps Valentin Barco at the end of the match Then, adding to the political build-up to the match, Argentinian players celebrated by unfurling a banner that read: “The Malvinas are Argentine.” Players celebrate with ‘The Malvinas are Argentine’ banner For England, the inquest will rumble on far beyond this tournament. While Tuchel will in all likelihood keep his job for a European Championship on home soil in 2028, this result, plucking defeat from the jaws of a potentially monumental victory, threatens to lodge itself deep in the national psyche. Read the match report here ➤ See our full coverage below: Jamie Carragher: Tuchel blew England’s big chance ➤ Watch: Bellingham slaps Argentina substitute at full time ➤ All 31 dirty tricks Argentina unleashed on England ➤ ‘The Malvinas are Argentine’: Players celebrate with banner ➤ Micah Richards learnt of father’s death moments before match ➤   Opinion Robert Tombs Britain needs an establishment but not this rotten, unpatriotic lot Too many politicians and civil servants appear to put other priorities ahead of the national interest Continue reading ➤     Ella Whelan The hypocritical Green Party is full of hot air Continue reading ➤     Tom Sharpe Iranian missiles are defeating US soft-kill defences using Chinese guidance Continue reading ➤     To make sure you don’t miss our newsletters when they land in your inbox, click here. Headlines Alzheimer’s drugs better at slowing disease than thought Devon and Cornwall Police let ‘unskilled officers’ lead investigations Sam Neill died from pneumonia Claim sickness benefits to help pay bills, Citizens Advice tells families Man arrested over threat to shoot Farage Your essential reads Burnham met his wife at the University of Cambridge The ‘coolest girl in college’ behind Andy Burnham’s rise Behind the rise of Andy Burnham lies his most enigmatic asset: his wife, Marie-France van Heel. Once called “the coolest girl in college” when they bonded over The Smiths, she has spent decades shielding her privacy. Yet from throwing cushions on Blind Date to faxing his disputed expenses, her influence is quietly woven through his political career. Continue reading ➤ Mahmood front-runner to be next chancellor ➤ Burnham admits he is considering raising taxes ➤   The Odyssey, review: an astonishing reimagining that gets to the soul of the story ★★★★★ Matt Damon is tremendous as Odysseus, alongside Zendaya as Athena, a goddess reduced to a ghost Robbie Collin’s verdict is in. The most anticipated film of the year, Sir Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of one of the oldest stories in literature, also turns out to be the best so far by some distance. Featuring a tremendous Matt Damon as Odysseus, perfectly deployed supporting players and a terrifying Cyclops, The Odyssey is an unhinged, trailblazing blockbuster that demands to be seen on the biggest screen you can find. For subscribers only ➤   Spaniards celebrate Gibraltar opening its gates My chaotic journey through Gibraltar’s new ‘Schengen shack’ border Gibraltar has entered a new era. The border with Spain has been rendered invisible by the Rock’s Brexit deal. It’s undoubtedly a historic moment after decades of tensions and a siege mentality on the British Overseas Territory that has lasted three centuries. At the same time as cranes lifted iron gates from the frontier, new controls were imposed on Britons flying into Gibraltar’s airport. James Crisp, our Europe Editor, flew in on the first day and discovered... chaos. Continue reading ➤   The energy bill overhaul threatening to give taxpayers an electric shock Andy Burnham has pledged to reduce the cost of life’s essentials by cutting household energy bills, with allied think tanks proposing a “rising block tariff”, giving every family a cheap, subsidised allowance of gas and electricity. While middle-income households could save £225 a year, this radical overhaul carries a stinging £7bn price tag. Szu Chan, our Economics Editor, reports. Continue reading ➤   Seize the day Just two minutes of puzzling a day can boost your brain health You may have noticed we’ve swapped out the regular Panagram for a series of mini quizzes in this newsletter (but don’t fret, Panagram will return on Monday). These bite-sized versions of our puzzles only take one to two minutes, and evidence suggests that puzzling regularly – even for that short amount of time – can strengthen memory, build resilience against cognitive decline and even help keep the brain younger for longer. David Cox explores the neuroscience behind the habit and why novelty matters. Continue reading ➤ Here is another helpful article to read this morning: Liz Hoggard ate nothing but porridge for two days to cut her cholesterol. Spoiler: it worked. Here’s what she learned in the process.   From the comment desk ‘I reviewed the Army’s new Boxer and it stopped me in my tracks’ Hamish de Bretton-Gordon   The holy trinity of armoured warfare has remained unchanged since tanks first dominated the battlefield at Cambrai in 1917: firepower, protection and mobility. Every successful armoured vehicle is judged by how well it balances these three essential qualities. Today, Britain has a new ABC of armoured capability: Ajax, Boxer and Challenger 3. Having already put Ajax and Challenger 3 through their paces, it was Boxer’s turn for a Jeremy Clarkson-style review. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon rides in the Boxer at Millbrook I confess, I approached Boxer with some scepticism. Like many armoured soldiers of my generation, I have long believed that serious military mobility demands tracks. After spending time putting Boxer through its paces at Millbrook, I am prepared to revise that opinion. Boxer may well be the exception that proves the rule. There are other things I liked. For perhaps the first time in decades, the British Army has acquired an armoured vehicle that genuinely feels overpowered rather than underpowered. Performance is only part of the story. Boxer’s strategic mobility is equally impressive, but its greatest strength may be its versatility. Its modular design allows different mission modules to be swapped on to the common chassis in about 40 minutes. This column is available only to subscribers. Continue reading ➤   Your say Green fingers Every weekday, Orlando Bird, our loyal reader correspondent, shares an off-piste topic that has brought out the best of your opinions and stories. Orlando writes... The recent weather has been wreaking havoc in gardens across the country, and in many different ways. It didn’t take long, for instance, for my lovingly tended sage to transform into something resembling pork scratchings. Over in Dorset, Andrew Read reported a different problem: “My runner and climbing flat beans have had lots of flowers, but few beans have developed. There appears to be a lack of bees and other pollinators. Is the scorching heat responsible for this dearth?”   It wasn’t just Dorset. Jane Davidson, writing from Nottinghamshire, lamented that “I, too, am yet to greet my friends with the usual: ‘Have you had a boiling yet?’”   Helen Chambers, in Hereford, could account for the bees: “I think they are all in my garden enjoying the lavender.”   Sheila Watson, meanwhile, implicated a non-meteorological culprit: “When our beans failed, friends suggested that the problem was sparrows taking the blossoms. We moved the beans away from hedges and they thrived.” How are your plants faring this summer? Send your responses (and tips) here, and the pick of the crop will feature in a future edition of this newsletter. Please confirm in your reply that you are happy to be featured and that we have your permission to use your name.   On this day 1661 | Europe’s first banknotes are issued by the Bank of Stockholm 1969 | Apollo 11 launches, carrying the first astronauts to the moon (and our front page the following day can be seen below) 1999 | John F Kennedy Jr is killed in a plane crash alongside his wife, Carolyn Bessette, and sister-in-law Birthdays: Gareth Bale (37), Will Ferrell (59), Michael Flatley (68) Plus, in the news today, Dua Lipa has thrown her weight behind protesters opposing a Trump family-backed £1.3bn luxury resort on a protected Albanian island. What is the protest called? Dua Lipa was born in London in 1995 to Kosovan-Albanian parents, who fled the conflict in the Balkans 1. The Toucan Revolution 2. The Hummingbird Revolution 3. The Flamingo Revolution Click one of the options to reveal the answer...   Puzzles The Telegraph has released a range of bite-sized puzzles perfect for a two-minute mental workout on the go. To celebrate, we are bringing you a different one each day this week. Today, try our Mini Cryptic Crossword. Plus, see the answer for yesterday’s Mini Sudoku below: P.S. If you’re missing the Panagram, rest assured it will return next week, and in the meantime you can play today’s here.   Thank you for reading. Have a fulfilling day and I hope to see you tomorrow. Chris Evans, Editor P.S. I’d love to hear what you think of this newsletter. You can email me your feedback at fromtheeditor@telegraph.co.uk. Summer Sale: One year for just £19 Think outside your inbox. Unlock full access to our free-thinking journalism, plus thousands of fun puzzles. Subscribe now

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