It’s coming home: England’s in-joke that fooled the football world

 

From Jordan Barnes

Three little words that have the potential to upset football fans around the world ahead of the Euro 2020 final. “It’s Coming Home”, a much repeated line lifted from the England football song “Three Lions” released 25 years ago.

It has since been adopted as a small prayer frequently uttered or sung in the hope that the sporting gods will bless the nation with a Euros or World Cup title.

To everyone else, it’s really annoying and is seen as arrogance among England fans in making a bold, overconfident claim that their football team is destined to win a trophy, no matter the circumstances.

Just days ago, the words evidently got under the skin of Denmark’s goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel ahead of England’s semi-final with Denmark at Wembley.

The goalkeeper returned a question to a journalist who had asked about the possibility of football not coming home. “Has it ever been home? Have you guys ever won it?” he replied, visibly in no mood to entertain the lighthearted suggestion.

Unlike his teammates, Schmeichel has the unique position of having played his entire club football career in England and would be best placed to explain the cultural nuance behind “It’s Coming Home”.

It’s a misunderstanding: “It’s Coming Home” was not born out of arrogance; it is, in fact, a song about never-ending disappointment and a longing to do better on the pitch.

The track was originally released in 1996 by Liverpool pop-rock band, The Lightning Seeds, together with Baddiel and Skinner, a TV comedy duo.

It’s catchy melody and easy-to-remember verse made it a hit during the Euro ‘96 tournament that summer.

It re-emerged within football’s lexicon in 2018 as a joke about themselves.

The lyrics themselves are less uplifting: “So many jokes, so many sneers, But all those oh-so-nears, Wear you down, Through the years.”

From “The Three Lions” video featuring Baddiel and Skinner and Lightning Seeds.

The video sees Baddiel, Skinner and Lightning Seeds’ frontman Ian Broudie sitting around lamenting England’s performances in the years leading up to Euro ‘96.

England’s semi-final defeat at Italia ‘90 ended an inspiring run where Paul Gascoigne lit up the tournament but Bobby Robson’s side lost on penalties to Germany.

The following Euro ‘92 tournament was abysmal — two 0-0 draws followed by defeat to hosts Sweden.

England’s fortunes somehow got worse when they failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup in the US.

A couple of years later, their Euro ‘96 campaign was backed with this “Three Lions” anthem, a call to action to rediscover their historical glory on home soil.

“England’s gonna throw it away, Gonna blow it away, But I know they can play, ‘Cause I remember, Three Lions on a shirt, Jules Rimet still gleaming.”

The Jules Rimet trophy was awarded to England with their one and only international triumph, the 1966 World Cup.

The “thirty years of hurt” line has lingered uncomfortably for as long as the song has been on the airwaves.

That’s before you even take stock of the fact it’s now 55 years and counting since England won football’s top prize.

Gareth Southgate and England have the opportunity to end the misery in Monday morning’s final against Italy.

The Italians have already set about upsetting the English and their cherished chant.

Flags donned at the Azzurri’s semi-final against Spain showed the phrase “It’s Coming Rome” in place of “It’s Coming Home”, which was crossed out with red ink.

Whatever your opinion on the phrase, its influence on world football is undeniable right now. It divides opinion like the Messi and Ronaldo debate.

The split camps for “It’s Coming Home” are clearer, however. England has learned to love the phrase, a homage to football returning to the place the game was officially recognised in its modern format.

The rest of the world treats “It’s Coming Home” with disdain.

The Lightning Seeds did have one huge hit outside of “Three Lions” in the ’90s. The song “Lucky You” features the line, “Oh, lucky you, You’ve nothing to lose”.

Southgate and his lads can take inspiration. If they lose the final, they’ll go out having taken England to their highest peak in 55 years. They’ve nothing to lose.

Jordan Barnes is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.

✍ Credit given to the original owner of this post : ☕ Malaysians Must Know the TRUTH

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