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The three words that haunt England during its World Cup campaign

THEY have a new princess and the mercury has reached 30C, but there is one thing that is still haunting England.

Oliver MurrayOliver Murray
@Oli_Murray
2 min read
June 28, 2018 - 4:08PM
Can Harry Kane lead England to glory?
Can Harry Kane lead England to glory?

THINGS are looking pretty good in England at the moment.

The sun is shining (temps are set to reach 30C!) and they have a new princess. England’s football team is also winning.

After two games, England is unbeaten at the World Cup in Russia and already scored eight goals.

The 2-1 win against Tunisia didn’t do much to get hopes up, but the 6-1 thrashing of Panama has England fans daring to dream. England hasn’t scored six goals in a World Cup game since winning it in 1966.

With bitter rivals Germany already gone and old sparring partner Argentina struggling, there is all of a sudden a bit of optimism among English fans.

What would possibly go wrong?

For a country that has become used to failure with the Three Lions, a lot can go wrong.

And a lot comes back to just three words.

IT’S COMING HOME

The reason for the optimism in England is this may be the best chance the Three Lions have to go deep into a tournament since 1996.

As host of Euro 96, England breezed into the semi-finals on the back of the song Three Lions.

The official song for England by comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner, along with the Lightning Seeds, looked at England’s past failures.

But with the chorus ‘It’s coming home’ determined that England could play football and would end its trophy drought after winning the World Cup in 1966.

Then England faced Germany in the semi-finals and lost on penalties. Missing the crucial penalty in 1996 was Gareth Southgate - now the England manager.

And it was the final time England made it to the final four of a tournament.

The song has been used to mock England ever since.

The heartbreak the last time England made the semi-finals.
The heartbreak the last time England made the semi-finals.

German fans rejoiced in singing ‘You’re going home’ after thumping England in the second round of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Writing in the Guardian years later, Baddiel said he wasn’t worried that his anthem had been hijacked by the Germans.

“People ask how it makes me feel, to hear the Germans sing it. Well, there’s a part of me, to be honest, that’s glad someone is still singing it on the terraces. England fans seem to have stopped,” he wrote.

But now - 22 years after it was first sung - the three words of ‘It’s coming home’ are popping up everywhere.

Maybe, just maybe, this could be England’s year.

BUT FIRST, BELGIUM

Those hopes could soon be dashed. England faces one of the tournament favourites Belgium at 4am AEST tomorrow.

Both teams have already qualified for the second round, but the game will be a good chance to see just how England stacks up against a top team.

Not that a loss is the end of the world.

Finishing second in the group could even give England an easier route to the final.

Should England finish second in their group, here is a speculative route to the final:

* Round of 16: Japan

* Quarter-final: Sweden

* Semi-final: Spain

* Final: Brazil

If England win the group it could mean a quarterfinal against favourites Brazil.

So even a loss against Belgium tomorrow could still mean ‘it’s coming home’.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/football/world-cup/the-three-words-that-haunt-england-during-its-world-cup-campaign/news-story/6372ef3f233aaaec7779f372e7feee03