July 4th, 1990. In Italy, England are playing Germany in the Semi final of the World Cup. In Majorca, Bill and Monica are on holiday trying to rekindle a failing marriage. Monica dreams of an affair with Gary Lineker, the `Queen Mother of Football’, though in fact she’s been seeing Dan, a friend of Bill’s and a travel writer whose books are published by Bill’s firm. Circumstances change when Dan unexpectedly arrives at their hotel, ostensibly in Majorca to write an article. But as the game begins, the three, in the company of Bill’s colleague Ian and Birgitta, a local German tourist rep they’ve befriended, settle down to watch the game on TV. Through ninety minutes, extra time and the infamous penalty shoot out, the field of battle switches between the hotel and the Italian football pitch as Monica, Bill and the England team approach the inevitable.