England make history

Normally, I would agree with you immediately but I think this is a little more complicated.

The headline is, presumably, using shorthand for "the England football team' which is singular.

If they'd put 'England makes history' I'd be inclined to think that they meant the whole nation.

It's tricky one - and even if they'd put 'England team', to then say 'makes history' is possibly more correct.

'Staff' is another of those group nouns that is tricky. I always consider it singular but many people don't.

It’s the same with ‘ the government’ ,but I found it quite strange as a major headline.

Yes, England is a singular concept. England is sunny, good, bad etc but when it’s about a team I can see how that can be seen as plural. The united efforts of the team members “make”history. Totally off subject but many of our European neighbours use people as a singular entity. The people is nice., welcoming etc. I know thst is the case in Italian French, Spanish and German, and possibly other languages.

I find things change from singular to plural and vice versa in one sentence especially in tv news reporting.