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"Three Lions", commonly referred to as "It's Coming Home" or "Football's Coming Home", is a song by the English comedians
David Baddiel David Lionel Baddiel (; born 28 May 1964) is an English comedian, presenter, screenwriter, and author. He is known for his work alongside Rob Newman in ''The Mary Whitehouse Experience'' and his comedy partnership with Frank Skinner. He has als ...
and Frank Skinner and the rock band the
Lightning Seeds The Lightning Seeds (also known as Lightning Seeds) are an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1989 by Ian Broudie (vocals, guitar, producer), formerly of the bands Big in Japan, Care, and Original Mirrors. Originally a studio-based s ...
. It was released on 20 May 1996 to mark the England football team's participation in that year's
UEFA European Championship The UEFA European Football Championship, less formally the European Championship and informally the Euro, is the primary association football tournament organised by the Union of European Football Associations ( UEFA). The competition is conte ...
, which England was hosting. The music was written by the Lightning Seeds singer
Ian Broudie Ian Zachary Broudie (born 4 August 1958) is an English musician and singer-songwriter from Liverpool. After emerging from the post-punk scene in Liverpool in the late 1970s as a member of Big in Japan, Broudie went on to produce albums (somet ...
, while Baddiel and Skinner—presenters of the football comedy show ''
Fantasy Football League ''Fantasy Football League'' is a British television comedy programme hosted by David Baddiel and Frank Skinner. It was inspired by the Fantasy Football phenomenon which started in the early 1990s and followed on from a BBC Radio 5 programme hos ...
''—provided the lyrics. All three provided vocals. The title comes from the England team emblem. Both the original version of "Three Lions" and the updated "Three Lions '98" reached number one on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, becoming one of only three songs to top the British charts more than once with lyric variants; the others are " Mambo No. 5" (in versions by Lou Bega and
Bob the Builder ''Bob the Builder'' is a British animated children's television series created by Keith Chapman for HIT Entertainment and Hot Animation. The series follows the adventures of Bob, a building contractor, specialising in masonry, along with ...
) and "
Do They Know It's Christmas? "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a charity song written in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. It was first recorded by Band Aid, a supergroup assembled by Geldof and Ure consisting of pop ...
" (by Band Aid, Band Aid 20 and
Band Aid 30 Band Aid 30 is the 2014 incarnation of the charity supergroup Band Aid. The group was announced on 10 November 2014 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, with Geldof stating that he took the step after the United Nations had contacted him, saying help w ...
). It regularly reappears in the UK singles chart around major football tournaments involving the England team. The song has been described as the ''de facto'' "anthem" of English football since 1996. Its chorus, with the refrain "It's coming home", has become a popular chant for fans at England games.


Writing

The Football Association (FA) asked Lightning Seeds songwriter Ian Broudie to compose a song for the
1996 UEFA European Football Championship The 1996 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 96, was the 10th UEFA European Championship, a quadrennial football tournament contested by European nations and organised by UEFA. It took place in England from 8 to 30 ...
. He composed a melody he felt would make a good
football chant A football chant or terrace chant is form of vocalisation performed by supporters of association football, typically during football matches. Football chanting is an expression of collective identity, most often used by fans to express their ...
, and asked the comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel, presenters of the football comedy show ''Fantasy Football League'', to write the lyric. Broudie refused the FA's offer to have football players sing on the song, saying he did not want it to be "England-istic" or nationalistic. He said it was more about "being a football fan, which, for 90% of the time, is losing". According to Skinner's autobiography, the original lyric included the line "Butcher ready for war" instead of "Bobby belting the ball". The line was a reference to a notorious World Cup qualifier against Sweden in 1989, when the defender
Terry Butcher Terry Ian Butcher (born 28 December 1958) is an English football manager and former player. He works as an academy coach for Ipswich Town. During his playing career as a defender, Butcher captained the England national team, winning 77 caps ...
played despite his head bleeding profusely for much of the match. Baddiel later revealed a handwritten copy of the lyrics on Twitter with "Terry Butcher at war" shown as the replaced lyric. The FA requested that this line be changed to avoid suggestions of
hooliganism Hooliganism is disruptive or unlawful behavior such as rioting, bullying and vandalism, usually in connection with crowds at sporting events. Etymology There are several theories regarding the origin of the word ''hooliganism,'' which is a d ...
imagery. The "ready for war" motif was later used in the 1998 version of the song, attributed to
Paul Ince Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince (; born 21 October 1967) is an English professional football manager and former player who is the current manager of EFL Championship side Reading. A former midfielder, Ince played professionally from 1982 to 2007, st ...
. The crowd noise in the intro of the track is in fact Brøndby fans recorded by Ian Broudie at
Anfield Anfield is a football stadium in Anfield, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, which has a seating capacity of 53,394, making it the seventh largest football stadium in England. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 189 ...
during a
UEFA Cup A cup is an open-top used to hold hot or cold liquids for pouring or drinking; while mainly used for drinking, it also can be used to store solids for pouring (e.g., sugar, flour, grains, salt). Cups may be made of glass, metal, china, clay ...
tie in October 1995.


Themes

The song title refers to the three lions on the England team crest. The chorus lyric, "it's coming home", reflected the fact that the Euro 96 competition was the first football competition England had hosted since the 1966 FIFA World Cup but has evolved to include the concept of the cup returning to the homeland of the sport. The song makes references to several players, Bobby Moore,
Bobby Charlton Sir Robert Charlton (born 11 October 1937) is an English former footballer who played either as a midfielder or a forward. Considered one of the greatest players of all time, he was a member of the England team that won the 1966 FIFA World ...
,
Nobby Stiles Norbert Peter Stiles (18 May 194230 October 2020) was an English footballer and manager. He played for England for five years, winning 28 caps and scoring one goal. He played every minute of England's victorious 1966 FIFA World Cup campaign. In ...
and
Gordon Banks Gordon Banks (30 December 1937 – 12 February 2019) was an English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, he made 679 appearances during a 20-year professional caree ...
, who played in the 1966 World Cup winning team. Among the references in the song are: *"That tackle by Moore": Bobby Moore's tackle of
Jairzinho Jair Ventura Filho (born 25 December 1944), better known as Jairzinho (), is a Brazilian former footballer. A quick, skillful, and powerful right winger known for his finishing ability and eye for goal, he was a key member and top scorer of th ...
in a group match against
Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
at the 1970 FIFA World Cup. *"When Lineker scored": Gary Lineker's goal against
West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
in a semi-final at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. *"Bobby belting the ball": Bobby Charlton's goal against
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
in a group match at the 1966 FIFA World Cup. *"Nobby dancing": Nobby Stiles dancing with the
Jules Rimet Trophy The World Cup is a solid gold trophy that is awarded to the winners of the FIFA World Cup association football tournament. Since the advent of the World Cup in 1930, two trophies have been used: the Jules Rimet Trophy from 1930 to 1970, before ...
after England won the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Unlike those of most football songs, the lyrics speak not of unbounded optimism for victory but instead of how, since England's victory in the 1966 FIFA World Cup, every tournament has ended in dashed hopes. However, the failures have not dampened the feeling that England could succeed again ("Three lions on a shirt /
Jules Rimet Jules Rimet (; 14 October 1873 – 16 October 1956) was a French football administrator who was the 3rd President of FIFA, serving from 1921 to 1954. He is FIFA's longest-serving president, in office for 33 years. He also served as the presid ...
still gleaming / Thirty years of hurt / never stopped me dreaming"). Baddiel said the song was "really about
magical thinking Magical thinking, or superstitious thinking, is the belief that unrelated events are causally connected despite the absence of any plausible causal link between them, particularly as a result of supernatural effects. Examples include the idea that ...
. About assuming we are going to lose, reasonably, based on experience, but hoping that somehow we won't." Despite the failures of the past, each tournament is greeted with fresh hopes that this might be the year they do it again: "I know that was then, but it could be again", and the song's chorus proclaimed that "It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming, football's coming home" which refers, like the tournament's slogan, "Football comes home", to the invention of the modern game in England. Following England's success at the 2022 Women's Euro, Baddiel said: "I'm very happy to think the song would, in a way, be put to bed."


Music video

Pedro Romhanyi directed the
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
for the original ''Three Lions''. Romhanyi said that while Skinner and Baddiel are comedians, they took the recording seriously, as "this is not about making a pop video; it's about doing something that's good for football." Baddiel recalled that Romhanyi insisted that the music video feel "homely", opening with Skinner and Baddiel making tea while watching television at home. The video also features much archival footage and images of the referenced 1966 and later teams featuring for example, Bobby Moore, Nobby Stiles, and Gary Lineker. The contemporary pub scene was filmed at The Queen of the Isle in London, which was demolished in 2004. The pub scene includes a cameo appearance by 1966 team member
Geoff Hurst Sir Geoffrey Charles Hurst (born 8 December 1941) is an English former professional footballer. A striker, he became the first man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final when England recorded a 4–2 victory over West Germany at Wembley S ...
, who is the first player to score a
hat-trick A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three. Origin The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three wic ...
in a World Cup final.


Reception

The
Britpop Britpop was a mid-1990s British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. It produced brighter, catchier alternative rock, partly in reaction to the popularity of the darker lyrical themes of the US-led grunge music and to the ...
phenomenon was at its peak in 1996, and the Lightning Seeds were one of its leading acts, so their involvement gave the song very wide appeal. It reached number one on the singles chart, and as England progressed to the semi-finals, stadiums around the country echoed to the sound of fans singing the song after English victories over
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
,
the Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
. It was so popular that even other teams liked it. England faced
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
in the semi-finals, and
Jürgen Klinsmann Jürgen Klinsmann (, born 30 July 1964) is a German professional football manager and former player. Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe including VfB Stuttgart, Inter Milan, Monaco, Tottenham Hotspur, and Bayern Munich. He ...
said later that the Germans were singing the song themselves on the way to the stadium, and the German team and the crowd sang the song as they paraded the trophy on the
Römer The Römer (German surname, "Roman") is a medieval building in the Altstadt of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and one of the city's most important landmarks. The Römer is located opposite the Old St. Nicholas church and has been the city hall ('' ...
balcony in Frankfurt. The single as a result reached number 49 on the
German Singles Chart The GfK Entertainment charts are the official music charts in Germany and are gathered and published by GfK Entertainment (formerly Media Control and Media Control GfK International), a subsidiary of GfK, on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindust ...
. The song was later sung by Germany fans during their team's first appearance at the new Wembley in 2007 and is still heard frequently on German radio stations. Broudie said he was shocked to hear German fans singing the song after beating England at Euro 96. The original version still receives regular airplay in England around the time of major international football tournaments. It has been adopted as a terrace chant and is occasionally sung by fans at England international matches today. When it was sung by England fans at the
2006 World Cup The 2006 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Germany 2006, was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won the right to host the ...
after England took the lead against
Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
, commentator
John Motson John Walker Motson (10 July 1945 – 23 February 2023) was an English football commentator. Beginning as a television commentator with the BBC in 1971, he commentated on over 2000 games on television and radio. From the late 1970s to 2008, Mo ...
remarked, "As football songs go, 'Three Lions' is certainly the best". The song has sold 1.6 million copies in the UK as of June 2018. The song reached number one on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
again in 2018 following England reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, with the line "it's coming home" featuring heavily on social media. In doing so, it became the first song in history to have four separate stints at number one in the UK. By the following week, following England's semi-final defeat by
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
, and elimination from the tournament, the single had fallen to number 97, setting what was at the time a record for the fastest ever descent from the top of the charts. The song has being criticized for being arrogant.


Track listing

# "Three Lions" – 3:44 # "Three Lions" (Jules Rimet extended mix) – 6:14 # "Three Lions" (karaoke version) – 3:45


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


"3 Lions '98"

England lost in a
penalty shootout The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pe ...
against Germany in 1996, so the song's lyrics rang true once again. It was subsequently re-recorded with different lyrics (under the title "3 Lions '98") as an unofficial anthem for England's
World Cup A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...
campaign in 1998 (unlike in 1996, when it was the "official song of the England football team") and landed the number-one spot in the singles chart for a second time, beating the official England song " (How Does It Feel to Be) On Top of the World?" by England United to the top spot by eight places. This version of the song begins with the sound of stadium crowds singing the original chorus. It then samples Jonathan Pearce's commentary of the decisive penalty miss by England's
Gareth Southgate Gareth Southgate (born 3 September 1970) is an English professional football manager and former player who played as a defender and midfielder. He has been the manager of the England national team since 2016. Southgate won the League Cup ...
in a shoot-out with Germany, where England were eliminated at the semi-final stage. Pearce's commentary of earlier rounds of the tournament was also used later in the song. While the 1996 "Three Lions" song drew on various memorable moments from the previous 30 years, the 1998 version reflected on the Euro 96 tournament and its entry alongside previous disappointments, as well as the team's performance in qualifying for the 1998 World Cup. The verse mentioning specific players focused this time on the then-current England squad: *
Paul Ince Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince (; born 21 October 1967) is an English professional football manager and former player who is the current manager of EFL Championship side Reading. A former midfielder, Ince played professionally from 1982 to 2007, st ...
– "Ince ready for war" – his performance against
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
in a crucial qualifier for that year's World Cup * Paul Gascoigne – "Gazza good as before" – the long-awaited return of his 1990 World Cup form in Euro 96, particularly his goal against
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
* Alan Shearer – "Shearer certain to score" – with five goals, he had been the top scorer of Euro 96, despite a poor run of form in internationals before the tournament * Stuart Pearce – "And Psycho screaming" – his primal celebration after scoring a penalty in the Euro 96 quarter-final shoot-out against Spain, which lifted the burden he had felt after failing to score in the semi-final shootout at the 1990 World Cup However, and amid much controversy, neither Gascoigne nor Pearce were selected for England's 1998 World Cup squad, which was not announced until some time after the song had been recorded. As well as a karaoke version of the new song, the single featured a song called "Tout est Possible" (French for "Anything is Possible") as a B-side. The song was largely composed of a recurring chorus, samples from commentators and pundits, and the occasional short verse. It also started with a French speech sample referring to "La Coupe du Monde" (The World Cup).


1998 video

There was also a completely new video made for the 1998 version of the song again directed by Pedro Romhanyi. The storyline is different as the trio are now travelling on a motor coach to France with a group of England fans for the 1998 World Cup. The video later portrays a match between the English fans and their German equivalents, most of whom have the name "Kuntz" printed on the back of their football shirts (except for one, who instead has " Klinsmann"). German player
Stefan Kuntz Stefan Kuntz (born 30 October 1962) is a German professional football manager and former player who played as a striker. He is the head coach of the Turkey national team. Kuntz represented the Germany national team between 1993 and 1997, rea ...
had played an instrumental part in Germany's semi-final victory over England at Wembley in 1996, but his name is similar to the disparaging
vulgarity Vulgarity is the quality of being common, coarse, or unrefined. This judgement may refer to language, visual art, social class, or social climbers. John Bayley claims the term can never be self-referential, because to be aware of vulgarity is to ...
" cunts"; the segment was often cut by broadcasters. Baddiel and Skinner had previously mocked Kuntz's name on their ''Fantasy Football'' television programme. The video also featured cameo appearances from
Geoff Hurst Sir Geoffrey Charles Hurst (born 8 December 1941) is an English former professional footballer. A striker, he became the first man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final when England recorded a 4–2 victory over West Germany at Wembley S ...
(who also made a cameo in the music video for the original song in 1996), John Regis,
Robbie Williams Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, and achieved commercial success after launching a solo career in 1996. His debut stud ...
and Chris Evans. The archival footage was also updated.


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


"Three Lions 2010" by the Squad

Although Frank Skinner had dismissed the possibility in early 2010, Skinner, Baddiel and Broudie were joined by
Robbie Williams Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, and achieved commercial success after launching a solo career in 1996. His debut stud ...
and comedian/actor Russell Brand under the name the Squad for a new version of the song for the
2010 FIFA World Cup , image = 2010 FIFA World Cup.svg , size = 200px , caption = ''Ke Nako. (Tswana and Sotho for "It's time") Celebrate Africa's Humanity'It's time. Celebrate Africa's Humanity'' (English)''Dis tyd. Vier Afrika se mensd ...
, produced by
Trevor Horn Trevor Charles Horn (born 15 July 1949) is an English music producer, label and recording studio owner, musician and composer. He is best known for his production work in the 1980s, and for being one half of the new wave band The Buggles (wit ...
. The song features added vocals from the ACM Gospel Choir, a soprano (Olivia Safe) and commentator
John Motson John Walker Motson (10 July 1945 – 23 February 2023) was an English football commentator. Beginning as a television commentator with the BBC in 1971, he commentated on over 2000 games on television and radio. From the late 1970s to 2008, Mo ...
. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 21. The song can be found on '' England The Album 2010''.


Track listing

CD single # "Three Lions" (2010 version) – 4:17 # "Three Lions" (original version) – 3:36 Digital download # "Three Lions" (2010 version) – 4:17 # "Three Lions" (2010 edit) – 3:37 Asda CD single # "Three Lions" (2010 version) – 4:17 # "Three Lions" (2010 Asda choir version) – 4:16


Charts


"Three Lions (Lionesses Version)"

In summer 2022, the song was rewritten slightly as England hosted
UEFA Women's Euro 2022 The 2022 UEFA European Women's Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Women's Euro 2022 or simply Euro 2022, was the 13th edition of the UEFA Women's Championship, the quadrennial international football championship organised by UE ...
and the England women's team made the final against Germany, which they won 2–1 in extra time to win the Lionesses' first ever major trophy and England's first major trophy (men's or women's) since the 1966 World Cup. The Lightning Seeds and Baddiel performed the new version with
Chelcee Grimes Chelcee Maria Grimes (born 8 May 1992) is an English singer, songwriter, television presenter, and footballer. She wrote songs for Kylie Minogue, Dua Lipa, Blackpink, Kesha, Olly Murs, Jonas Blue, Louisa, the Saturdays, and Tom Walker. Grimes ...
and retired Lionesses
Fara Williams Fara Tanya Franki Merrett MBE (born 25 January 1984) is an English former footballer who played as a central midfielder for multiple clubs, as well as the English national team. A consistent goalscorer and set-piece specialist, Williams was co ...
, Rachel Yankey,
Faye White Faye Deborah White, (born 2 February 1978) is an English former footballer who captained Arsenal Women in the FA Women's Super League and is the longest-serving female captain of England to date. Her Lionesses career spanned 15 years and five ...
, Rachel Brown-Finnis and Anita Asante at the
Electric Ballroom The Electric Ballroom is a 1,500-capacity performance venue (primarily for rock bands) and indoor market located at 184 Camden High Street in Camden Town, London, England. History The Electric Ballroom started as an Irish ballroom in the 1930 ...
in Camden with Skinner in attendance. This time, references were to current England women's players: * Ellen White – "Ellen White standing tall" – she scored two goals at what was eventually her final international tournament, having already become England's all-time female leading goalscorer before the tournament. *
Alessia Russo Alessia Mia Teresa Russo (; born 8 February 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Manchester United in the Women's Super League and the England national team. She has previously played for Chelsea, Brighton ...
– "Russo's ready to score" – she scored four goals in the tournament, including a backheel goal in the semi-final against Sweden at Bramall Lane that went between Swedish goalkeeper
Hedvig Lindahl Rut Hedvig Lindahl (born 29 April 1983) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Swedish Damallsvenskan club Djurgården and the Sweden national team. She previously played club football in Sweden for other Damalls ...
's legs and became a
FIFA Puskás Award The FIFA Puskás Award is an award established on 20 October 2009 by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association ( FIFA), at the behest of then-president Sepp Blatter, to be awarded to the male or female judged to have scored the mo ...
nominee. *
Georgia Stanway Georgia Marie Stanway (born 3 January 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Frauen-Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the England national team. Stanway has also represented England at various you ...
– "Stanway kicking the ball" – she scored the winning goal in the quarter-final against
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
at
Falmer Stadium The Falmer Stadium, known for sponsorship purposes as the American Express Community Stadium and also referred to as the Amex, is a football stadium in the village of Falmer, in the City of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex. With a capacity of 31, ...
in extra time with a shot from outside the box. * Beth Mead – "And Beth Mead screaming" – she was named both player of the tournament and top scorer with six goals and five assists and later went on to become the first female footballer to win the
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award is the main award of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony, which takes place each December. The winner is the sportsperson, judged by a public vote, to have achieved the most that year. The ...
. Two other verses were added: ''"Now is the time, the Lionesses can shine…"'' and ''"Lionesses roar, a squad we can believe in / This England team has soared, no more need for dreaming."'' In a further reference to the song, at full time in extra time of the final, commentator
Vicki Sparks Vicki Sparks is a British sports journalist and football commentator for BBC Sport and BT Sport. She has reported for ''Final Score'' and BBC Radio 5 Live. She also regularly covers women's football for the BBC. In March 2017, after a post-match ...
exclaimed on BBC Radio 5 Live's radio call, "No more years of hurt! No more need for dreaming, because dreams have become reality at Wembley!" before the song began playing over the Wembley speakers.


"Three Lions (It's Coming Home for Christmas)"

In October 2022, Skinner and Broudie confirmed that a new version of the song would be released in time for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The singer noted that the Lionesses' Euro 2022 win made him consider remaking the song, noting that the track might be Christmas-themed due to the World Cup's close proximity to
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
. On 18 November 2022, Baddiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds released the song, titled "Three Lions (It's Coming Home for Christmas)". Skinner explained that they re-recorded it to take advantage of the "tacky" novelty of a Christmas-themed football song, stating that "in maths two negatives make a positive, so we think there's so much tacky in this that it's going to be a classic." The rewritten lyrics mention the England women's team winning the Women's Euros in July, updating the original's "30 years of hurt" to be "56 years of hurt, for the men's game" and adding "20 weeks of hurt, for the women's game, obviously", though the women's team had played several matches during those weeks and ended the year unbeaten. Baddiel and Skinner also make fun of the song itself, singing "a football Christmas song, not at all demeaning". Other lyrics include criticism of the choice to host in
Qatar Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it ...
, though also the ironic suggestion that the men's team may be more successful playing in a different month, and the deliberate pronunciation of "Jules" (as in
Jules Rimet Trophy The World Cup is a solid gold trophy that is awarded to the winners of the FIFA World Cup association football tournament. Since the advent of the World Cup in 1930, two trophies have been used: the Jules Rimet Trophy from 1930 to 1970, before ...
) as the similar "
Yule Yule, actually Yuletide ("Yule time") is a festival observed by the historical Germanic peoples, later undergoing Christianised reformulation resulting in the now better-known Christmastide. The earliest references to Yule are by way of indi ...
". An accompanying music video was released, combining the original music video with modern footage. Baddiel and Skinner visit their past selves and prepare for Christmas. The archive footage of the original music video is replaced with footage of the women's team memorably interrupting manager Sarina Wiegman's post-Euro final press conference to sing and dance to the original song, and of the men's team playing in the Euro 2020 Final and their reactions to losing. Geoff Hurst made a cameo like he had in the original, now dressed as
Father Christmas Father Christmas is the traditional English name for the personification of Christmas. Although now known as a Christmas gift-bringer, and typically considered to be synonymous with Santa Claus, he was originally part of a much older and unrela ...
and joined by female Euro-winning players Bethany England and
Jess Carter Jess Carter (born 27 October 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Women's Super League club Chelsea and the England national team. She began her senior career at Birmingham City and has represented England fr ...
.


Charts


Re-issues

"3 Lions '98" was re-released for the World Cup in 2002, and again on 5 June 2006 for the World Cup 2006 in Germany. It charted at number nine on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
in 2006. The 2006 re-release was a
DualDisc The DualDisc is a type of double-sided optical disc product developed by a group of record companies including Michael Jackson, MJJ Productions Inc., EMI, EMI Music, Universal Music Group, Sony BMG, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, ...
version with both the original version of "Three Lions" and "3 Lions '98" on the CD side and the
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
s for the two songs on the DVD side. In 2021, Sony re-issued the two versions on a seven-inch vinyl as "3 Lions: Football's Coming Home - 25th Anniversary Edition", with "Three Lions" on one side listed as The First Half (rather than the A-side) and "3 Lions '98" on the other side, listed as The Second Half (rather than the B-side or double A-side).


Covers and other uses

In autumn of 1996, Labour opposition leader
Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...
addressed his party's conference with the quote "Seventeen years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming, Labour's coming home", a play on words from the song's chorus and in reference to his confidence that Labour would return to power at the forthcoming general election, having been in the opposition since the
Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
ousted them from government in
1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the '' International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the '' Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the so ...
. When the election was held on 1 May 1997, Labour won by a landslide. In summer 2018, the song enjoyed a renaissance due to the England national team's performance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, in which they reached the semi-finals, and this caused the song to reach number one on the UK Singles Chart. After
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
eliminated England in the World Cup semi-final, Croatia's captain
Luka Modrić Luka Modrić (; born 9 September 1985) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for La Liga club Real Madrid and captains the Croatia national team. He plays mainly as a central midfielder, but can also play as an a ...
said that his team had taken the song's refrain as disrespect which had additionally motivated them to win the match. In response, England manager
Gareth Southgate Gareth Southgate (born 3 September 1970) is an English professional football manager and former player who played as a defender and midfielder. He has been the manager of the England national team since 2016. Southgate won the League Cup ...
among others stated the Croats misunderstand
English humour British humour carries a strong element of satire aimed at the absurdity of everyday life. Common themes include sarcasm, tongue-in-cheek, banter, insults, self-deprecation, taboo subjects, puns, innuendo, wit, and the British class system. T ...
. In addition, the Barmy Army group of England cricket supporters adapted the song into "Three Lions and a Crown" ahead of the
2019 ICC Cricket World Cup The 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup was the 12th Cricket World Cup, a quadrennial One Day International (ODI) cricket tournament contested by men's national teams and organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It was hosted between 30 May ...
, which England hosted and eventually won for their first ODI (50-over) World Cup championship. During England's semifinal run at the
2018 World Cup The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's national Association football, football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awa ...
in Russia, England supporters adapted the chorus of girl group
Atomic Kitten Atomic Kitten is an English girl group formed in Liverpool in 1998, whose current members are Liz McClarnon, Jenny Frost and Natasha Hamilton. The group was founded by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) members Andy McCluskey and Stuart ...
's "
Whole Again "Whole Again" is a song by British girl group Atomic Kitten for their debut studio album, '' Right Now'' (2000). It was co-written by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark members and Atomic Kitten founders Andy McCluskey and Stuart Kershaw, along ...
" into a chant that referenced "Three Lions" in honor of Gareth Southgate, who had become manager. Specifically, the chorus lines "Baby, you're the one / You still turn me on / You can make me whole again" were changed to "Southgate, you're the one / You still turn me on / Football's coming home again".. Before England's quarterfinal against Sweden, group member
Natasha Hamilton Natasha Maria Hamilton (born 17 July 1982) is an English singer and a member of girl group Atomic Kitten. Hamilton has so far released 19 singles and three studio albums with the band including three number one singles, their biggest being the 2 ...
shared a video of herself on Twitter singing the alternate lyrics. On 3 July 2021 during
UEFA Euro 2020 The 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2020 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2020) or simply Euro 2020, was the 16th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international men's football championship of Europe ...
, Hamilton and fellow member
Liz McClarnon Elizabeth Margaret McClarnon (born 10 April 1981) is an English pop singer, songwriter, dancer, television presenter and actress. She is the longest serving member of the girl group Atomic Kitten, with whom she has scored three number-one single ...
then returned to perform the song with reworked lyrics including the existing alternate ones in front of chanting football fans at a watch party at Boxpark Croydon for England's quarterfinal against Ukraine. On 6 July 2021, the day before England's semi-final against Denmark, the group – including
Jenny Frost Jennifer Frost (born 22 February 1978) is an English singer, television presenter and model. She was a member of girl group Precious before replacing Kerry Katona in the group Atomic Kitten from 2001 until they disbanded in April 2004. Frost ...
, who rejoined following a 13-year break to re-record – released an official full-length version of the adapted song called " Southgate You're the One (Football's Coming Home Again)" via Columbia Records UK.


See also

*
Royal arms of England The royal arms of England are the arms first adopted in a fixed form at the start of the age of heraldry (circa 1200) as personal arms by the Plantagenet kings who ruled England from 1154. In the popular mind they have come to symbolise the ...
* Origins of the Three Lions emblem * Coat of arms of the Football Association


References


External links


Lyrics to both versions of the song
* * {{Authority control 1996 singles 1996 songs 1998 singles 2010 singles 2022 singles EMI Records singles England at the 1998 FIFA World Cup England at the 2010 FIFA World Cup England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup England at the 2022 FIFA World Cup England at UEFA Euro 1996 England at UEFA Euro 2020 England national football team songs Association football songs and chants UEFA European Championship songs FIFA World Cup songs Epic Records singles Internet memes Music videos directed by Pedro Romhanyi The Lightning Seeds songs Song recordings produced by Ian Broudie Song recordings produced by Trevor Horn Songs written by Ian Broudie Sony BMG singles UK Singles Chart number-one singles Cultural depictions of association football players Cultural depictions of Bobby Moore 1990s fads and trends 2000s fads and trends 2010s fads and trends 2020s fads and trends British Christmas songs