England have no plans to ban Baddiel and Skinner anthem Three Lions (It’s Coming Home) from being played at the World Cup.
“Contrary to reports this morning, the FA still plays Three Lions at major Wembley matches and has never had any intention of doing otherwise,” a statement from the Football Association said.
“The song belongs to the fans and is about the hope of following the England team. It was requested by the FA to be played as one of our team songs at the 2018 World Cup and the Euros last summer, and this is our plan at tournaments going forward.”
The Sun reported on Thursday that the song was set to be replaced by Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar because FA chiefs feared other nations viewed it as “arrogant”.
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The newspaper then stated it was launching a campaign to protect the song, adding that former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne had told them that “the FA have totally lost the plot” and that “this woke nonsense has no place in football”. He added: “It would be like saying we can’t wave St George’s flags anymore.”
TalkTV presenter Piers Morgan was similarly outraged. “This is a ridiculous idea,” he said.
The alleged ban was also discussed on talkSPORT radio, with Gabriel Agbonlahor saying: “Who cares if it’s offensive to other countries?” Fellow broadcaster Alan Brazil hit out at the “numpties” and “clowns” who had purportedly been plotting the tune’s demise.
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The song was played at England’s Euro 2020 matches last summer and widely chanted by fans, but also provoked teasing from opposition players. After Italy beat Gareth Southgate’s men in the final at Wembley, Giorgio Chiellini shouted “it’s coming to Rome” into the camera, a slogan also chanted by Azzurri fans.
Denmark’s Kasper Schmeichel had laughed off the lyric when it was put to him in a press conference before the semi-final. “Has it ever been home?” the Leicester goalkeeper joked. “Have you ever won it?”
Graeme Souness, who won 54 caps for Scotland, once wrote in a column for The Times: “Football’s coming home, is it? So, England effectively own the sport. I don’t think so.”
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