You have to understand where he's coming from: patriotism is not viewed the same way in Europe as it is in the US. Since WWII it is frowned upon by a great many people. English soccer hooligans give patriotism a bad name with their brand of flag waving. I found Barnes' comments quite reasonable in their context. His prose is a little over-flowery but again- he's a sports writer. I don't expect a whole lot more from him.
Do I need more than his own words?
Since WWII it is frowned upon by a great many people.
Yes, I know. Patriotism is bad. Turns people into Nazis. Never mind the patriotism of those who fought the Nazis; that's irrelevant.
I find it very sad that this seems to be the lesson Europe took from WWII. If it happens again, there may not be sufficient people who care enough to fight.