World Cup 2018: Forget counting chickens, for England it’s coming home
Such a euphoria has descended across England that anything other than supreme confidence is unthinkable.
To every Englishwoman and man in the land, “It’s Coming Home’’. It, in this case, is the World Cup trophy.
Even though England still has to confront Croatia in the semi-final on Wednesday, and then if triumphant, face the final, such a euphoria has descended across England that anything other than supreme confidence is unthinkable. Forget counting chickens before they hatch: It’s Coming Home.
As I was eating dinner in Bedford last night, a man knocked on the restaurant window, mouthing: “It’s Coming Home’’ and demanding a fist bump in celebration of England’s first appearance in a World Cup semi-final for 28 years. My partner settled for a thumbs up, which appeared to satisfy him.
Then, on entering a hotel foyer where some wedding guests had sneaked off to have a fag and get the update on the Croatia versus Russian game — so they would know England’s opponents — the smokers were insistent: It’s Coming Home’’.
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British Airways has its own It’s Coming Home tweet of a boarding pass. The passenger “Football’’ is on the flight from Moscow to “Home’’, leaving from gate South (in reference to the England coach Gareth Southgate).
Immediately after the England quarterfinal victory interviewers asked captain Harry Kane: “Is it coming home?’’, to which he replied: ‘’I hope so’’. Prince William sent an official note “It’s Coming Home’’.
You wanted to make history @England and you are doing just that. This has been an incredible #WorldCup run and we’ve enjoyed every minute. You deserve this moment – Football’s Coming Home! W
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) July 7, 2018
It’s Coming Home emanates from a song penned 22 yeas ago by comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner, and Ian Broudie, the lead singer of The Lightning Seeds. It was called Three Lions and the main refrain “Football’s Coming Home’’ was about the hope that the England football team might win and bring back a trophy to the home of football.
Somehow in the past three weeks as England has walloped Panama 6-1, defeated Tunisia 2-1, experienced a loss to Belgium with most of the best players on the bench in a seeding group game, then overcome Colombia on penalties and then a 2-0 win over Sweden, the ditty has become the national anthem. England have not won the World Cup since 1966 and the country has gone so football mad reasoning and statistics have been forgotten, and everyone just simply believes.
Over the next few days there will be no letup in the It’s Coming Home frenzy, much like the wearing of waistcoat fetish that is a very distinctive means of supporting Southgate’s sartorial style, along with the emptying of streets during every England match.
Is it unstoppable? Can Croatia or the other finalist, either Belgium or France halt the It’s Coming Home momentum? We will certainly know in the early hours of next Monday morning.
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