'England have to win or I've wasted my time' — Lowestoft artist
Toby Clark created a huge England crest on the beach using rocks and sand — six meters by eight meters — in support of the national team ahead of the opening of the 2026 Mundial.
A football fan from Lowestoft, Suffolk spent a week of preparation and eight-and-a-half hours of work to create the England badge on the beach — using sand and pebbles. Toby Clark said he mobilized the art to welcome the opening of the tournament on Thursday.
The crest, which measures 6 meters by 8 meters, was restored two hours after being run over by "some type of vehicle" while it was still being finished. To create the design, Clark used a template, grid and thread and pounded the sand with her foot — a process she says was painstaking and systematic.
"Whenever there's an opportunity at the World Cups or the Euros I always do the England crest," Clark said. He joked, "They're going to win — obviously there's no other option. I want us to take the 18-carat trophy home; otherwise, it's just a waste of my time." He added that if England won he would also make a portrait of the whole team on the beach.
<figure style="margin:2rem 0;overflow:hidden;border:1px solid #e2e2e2;background:#f9f9f9"><img src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/branded_news/1200/cpsprodpb/9242/live/fed46170-6a52-11f1-9ea9-fdea8f57a693.jpg" alt="Image" style="width:100%;height:auto;object-fit:contain" loading="lazy" /></figure>Clark also mentioned that he had previously made a chalk version of the crest during the 2018 semi-final against Croatia, explaining that commemorating major tournaments is a tradition for him. He also made it clear that he wouldn't pursue further restoration: "I've seen the tide rise this far before, so it will go away and die."
Clark isn't the only one showing support for the Three Lions. In Ipswich, John Goode, 64, and his daughter Rachel, 28, decorated their Norwich Road home with 60 meters of buntings and eight large England flags. "The reaction was great — lots of smiles and people stopping to take pictures," John said. Although he is not convinced that England will win the tournament, he admits that the support is showing well.
For Rachel, following England is about more than the result: "What's important is that the country is united for the time being — everyone is putting everything else aside and just saying 'Go on England'. We'll see how far they go, but if we can get an early goal, I think we can dominate the game tonight."
England are set to kick off their tournament tonight against Croatia in Dallas, at around 21:00 BST.
