Ian McKellen pens ‘love letter to England’ to motivate fans ahead of FIFA knockout match. Image credits: Instagram
Sir Ian McKellen, the veteran British actor, passionately shared words of motivation for the England football team ahead of their round of 32 match at the 2026 World Cup. In a bid to reunite fans, the 83-year-old star lent his voice to the short film ‘Love Letter to England’, teaming up with award-winning playwright James Graham to answer the question: What does it mean to be English?Here’s a closer look at Sir Ian McKellen’s inspiring words to unite England fans for a FIFA World Cup knockout match.
Ian McKellen hopes to reunite fans Support England Knockout match
As England approaches its knockout match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sir Ian McKellen has released a short film appealing to fans to support the national team. The move comes on the heels of a “National Conversation” initiative produced last month, which invited fans to share their words and leave a 60-second note expressing their emotional vision.“They say we lack story, but ours is one of the oldest. This is where they have passion; we are polite,” the X-Men star of the short film told The Sun, before adding: “And yet, we are the lions that roar.”
They say our souls are broken, but it’s how we laugh and how we love. We know who we are at our best when we are together. Don’t let them tell you otherwise. “We know who we are.”
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When Ian McKellen spoke to the national conversation
The committee shares a vision of bringing people together at a critical time. “The reason we installed this committee is that instead of being top-down, it’s grassroots: you tell us what you want, based on your experience in your community. It’s an actual conversation with people, offering insights into their lives and telling us what they miss, what they want and what they need,” he told The Guardian.The 1 minute and 40 second short film “Love Letter to England” can be viewed on YouTube.
