During the summer of 2021, I watched a lot of football, and I drank a lot of rosé. The Euros that year were thrilling for England fans, right down to the nail-biting final against Italy.

I watched every single game, but I remember very little about them – apart from the hangovers. So while the nation was in a great mood, I woke up exhausted, fed up and unable to function.

At the time, I was in the middle of moving house and, unsurprisingly, a pounding head is not conducive to being an efficient packer. Again and again I found myself hopelessly surrounded by boxes, and furious with myself for overdoing it.

After the quarter-final match against Ukraine, I wasn’t smiling about the four goals England scored. I was crying into a crate of saucepans, wondering what was wrong with me.

None of my friends seemed to struggle as I did. My husband Dale could make a couple of pints last for the course of a match, then function as usual the next day.

I spent the next year becoming increasingly worried about my drinking, as every hangover seemed to trigger a full-blown existential crisis.

In June 2022, I decided it was time to quit drinking for good.

Today, after almost four years of sobriety, I’ve worked out how to survive weddings, barbecues, gigs and festivals on nothing stronger than lemonade. I danced for hours at my 40th birthday party, toasting myself with a glass of Sanpellegrino.

And I’ve gone to the pub and cheered for the Lionesses and the Three Lions while remaining totally sober – and enjoyed every moment.

So if you’re trying to quit or cut down on alcohol, that doesn’t mean you have to sit at home and miss out on the fun of this World Cup. Here are the tips and tricks I’ve learned so you, too, can enjoy the season hangover-free.

Pick your pub

When I was drinking, I used to find the experience of being in a pub overwhelming. Pubs can be loud, hot, crowded and full of unpredictable (hammered) strangers, especially when the football is on.

When I quit, I realised some pubs made me want to get drunk as quickly as possible, to feel numb and survive being in the space. If you’re watching a match sober, choose a pub that you feel safe and comfortable in, one where you know you don’t need a big drink to relax. Or if you find the pub too tempting, you could host friends for watching the game.

Find a sober buddy

Initially, the hardest thing about sobriety was feeling isolated. Sometimes it seemed I was the only person who wasn’t drinking, and I worried about how I’d connect with the tipsy people around me.

Being sober during a boozy occasion is hard work, and you need support to stick to the Diet Coke. If you know you’re going to be with a booze-loving crowd, let someone know in advance that you’re not drinking and ask for their help saying ‘no thanks’ to friends brandishing bottles of wine.

Don’t tell everyone

That said, it’s not necessary to tell everyone that you’re not drinking. I found that if I drew attention to the fact I was off the booze, some people would make it their mission to tease me, or tell me I was boring, or do everything they could to persuade me to drink.

Over the past four years, I’ve discovered that if I don’t mention the fact that I’m sober, almost no one notices that I’m not drinking.

A sparkling water looks the same as a gin and tonic, and you can’t tell the difference between a zero per cent beer and a pint of Heineken. If anyone calls you out and tells you you’re boring, that says more about them than you.

Be adventurous

As much as I love a refreshing Diet Coke or sparkling water, sometimes variety makes sobriety more fun.

Many pubs and bars are offering a wide range of exciting soft drinks, as more of us are going sober than ever. Don’t feel embarrassed to ask what soft drinks a pub or bar has – there’s a good chance there’ll be something delicious. If you’re a beer drinker, you’re spoiled for choice, with brands such as Days, Lucky Saint and LOAH offering some great zero per cent options. If you like prosecco, try Nozeco, the wine brand French Bloom or even Elton John’s zero per cent wine range. Personally, I’m a big fan of Momo ginger kombucha. It’s got an adult flavour – but isn’t too sweet and has got a great fiery kick. (And it’s good for your gut, which is a bonus.)

Plan your night

Avoiding alcohol is much harder if you’re tired, hungry, fed up or anxious. So if you’re planning to enjoy the World Cup without alcohol, it’s worth doing some extra planning.

Try to get as much sleep as you can and, as England’s early stage matches are all past 9pm, be sure to eat dinner before you head to a pub. As someone who was previously partial to a dinner of crisps, it really does help!

In my early days of getting sober, I’d listen to a sobriety podcast to help me prepare for an occasion when everyone else would be hitting the booze.

I’d recommend This Naked Mind with Annie Grace, The Life Of Bryony with Bryony Gordon or How Do You Cope with John Robins.

And remember, while you might feel like the only person in the pub who isn’t drinking, you’re not. There are loads of us, and we’re all in it together.

The next day, we’ll remember every detail of the match – and no matter what happens, we’ll be celebrating the fact that we’re hangover-free.