An anthem that survived for 30 years on the dream of England

England’s familiar chant of “It’s Coming Home” is back in the stands and on the streets as the team moves through the 2026 World Cup knockouts.

The line comes from Three Lions, the 1996 song written for Euro 96 by Frank Skinner and David Baddiel. Unlike many football anthems, it focuses on disappointment as much as hope, reflecting England’s long run of near misses since their 1966 World Cup win.

Baddiel has said the song is about England believing it should win because it thinks it gave football to the world, while also carrying the pain of repeated failure. That mix helped turn the track into more than a tournament novelty.

Three Lions has returned to prominence before, including England’s run to the Euro 2020 final and their semi-final place at the 2018 World Cup. It has also drawn criticism from opponents, with Luka Modrić calling the slogan disrespectful after Croatia beat England in 2018.

England now face Norway in the quarter-finals, and the old refrain is back again — part hope, part nerves, part long memory.