I can't help but wonder if this highly questionable decision at the end of the game was made with the deliberate hope that the face of England's victory would be an African one.

It definitely was. Nobody remembers or cares about the first couple penalty shooters. It's always on the goalies and kickers 3,4,5 who could potentially win it. And all 3 blaqqs on the English team were shots 3, 4, and 5, with the blackest one of all at the anchor spot.

So if they won its vindication of multiculturalism, muh diversity is strength and all that. The three blacks would've been feted as the 3 Lions of England and none of the white players on the team would have received any praise.

But since they lost, they can now spin it off as a racism issue. Heads they win, Tails you lose