EURO 2004 has arrived and football fever is sweeping the nation.

Fans around the country are filled with the usual blind optimism ahead of any major international tournament and are no doubt reliving in their minds that famous 1966 "They think it's all over" film footage.

As we face our first tough game against the French, is another great England victory on the horizon or will we be sinking a few ports to numb the sting of disappointment as our men of war bail out in the first round?

On the run up to the competition in Portugal, the support for our national team has been immense.

The flag of St. George is everywhere you look with that glorious red cross appearing on merchandise ranging from flags to women's knickers. This blatant commercialism surrounding the tournament has surely been unsurpassed.

High street women's fashion stores from New Look to plus size Evans are all offering fashion T-shirts with England emblazoned across the front.

This is a seismic shift from the dark days of the 1980s when football was undoubtedly the pariah of the sporting world. Suddenly our national game and patriotism are cool and appealing to women.

There is no doubt the multi-sexual allure of footballing heroes such as David Beckham has helped to glamorise the game and widen its appeal.

As the tabloids' obsession with Goldenball's latest haircut continues and the celebrity magazines revel in David and Victoria's new matching Dolce and Gabbana swimwear, it is very clear football and fashion are now intrinsically linked.

Even in the corridors of lower league clubs where the smell of Deep Heat is stronger than any eau de toilette, footballers can be seen sporting Louis Vuitton wash bags. Yes, even at York City!

But despite the glitz and glamour, surely not all of the female population have been converted to the beautiful game and, unlike the majority of their male counterparts, will not be glued to their TV sets cheering on Beckham and the boys.

The technical term for those women who have no choice but to resume their single status for the next three weeks is a football widow. They too are being hit with this wave of commercialism as internet travel companies are now offering official football widow holiday packages to Italian cookery schools and private vineyards.

But for those who do not have the luxury of jetting off to avoid the football frenzy, be thankful that it is summer and take advantage of having time to yourself in the garden, taking solace in a large G and T.

Whatever we think about football and our national side, potential success in this competition is good for England.

Over the decades, the beautiful game has helped to boost and bolster the nation's morale and has lifted spirits even in the darkest of times.

As last week's moving D-Day commemorations are fresh in my mind and of course the constant news surrounding the conflict in Iraq, I cannot help but think of the occasion in 1914 when English and German troops met in no man's land to play football while the guns fell silent.

As Euro 2004 sees England pitch their skills against the top European nations and we all have our moan about Henry's Va va voom and the jingoism sets in, we should remember football is a unifier not a divider and an international language spoken by us all.

But saying all of that, come on England, please thrash the French!

Sophie McGill is communications director of York City Football Club and one of the youngest boardroom executives in football. She has donated her fee for this column to York City FC Youth Development.

Updated: 10:34 Saturday, June 12, 2004