England’s players danced to “Sweet Caroline” in the dressing room after their win over Australia on Wednesday, celebrating becoming the first England team since 1966 to make a World Cup final.
Neil Diamond’s classic has become something of an England football anthem. It first caught on prominence in 2021, when the men’s team reached the final of the Euros, where they ultimately suffered penalty heartbreak against Italy, and blared through stadium speakers again last summer as the Lionesses went one better and won their version of the competition on home soil.
Player of the match Lauren Hemp was at the head of Wednesday’s celebrations, dancing with midfielder Georgia Stanway, and the nation will be hoping for a repeat performance after Sunday’s final against Spain.
But how did a song by an American artist become so associated with English football? Here’s how it all started.
Why is Sweet Caroline a football song?
“Sweet Caroline” has a long association with sport, particularly in the United States.
The Boston Red Sox baseball team, for example, play it at every home game – a tradition dating back to 1997.
It is said the stadium DJ first played it in honour of a baby girl named Caroline, who had just been born to a member of team staff.
The tradition caught on and became a regular fixture at Fenway Park – and these days is also played by the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, among others.
In the UK, the song is popular at football clubs including Aston Villa and Chelsea and will often be played over the stadium speaker after wins.
England cricket fans sing it from the stands, while it is also a long-standing favourite at boxing matches.
How has it become associated with England?
At the 2021 men’s Euros, “Sweet Caroline” soared to prominence after Wembley DJ Tony Parry made the decision to play it after England’s win over Germany, when it went down a storm.
He told TalkSport: “I was going to play ‘Vindaloo’, but went with my gut.
“Even the German fans were belting it out in the end. It’s a song that all fans can enjoy. The match director said in my in-ear: ‘The world’s been closed for 18 months… let ’em have it’.”
Part of its popularity is very simple: it is a fun song to belt out in a group, with fans adding “so good, so good, so good” to the middle of the chorus.
The song’s status as an England football anthem was reinforced with vengeance during England women’s success at last year’s Euros, and again at the World Cup this year.
What are the lyrics to Sweet Caroline?
Where it began, I can’t begin to knowing
But then I know it’s growing strong
Was in the spring
And spring became the summer
Who’d have believed you’d come along
Hands, touching hands
Reaching out, touching me, touching you
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
I’ve been inclined
To believe they never would
But now I
Look at the night and it don’t seem so lonely
We filled it up with only two
And when I hurt
Hurting runs off my shoulders
How can I hurt when holding you
One, touching one
Reaching out, touching me, touching you
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
I’ve been inclined
To believe they never would
Oh no, no
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
Sweet Caroline
I believe they never could
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
How can I watch the Women’s World Cup final?
The World Cup final will be played on Sunday 20 August with kick-off at 11am BST. It will be played at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
There will be coverage on both the BBC and ITV, with the programme beginning at 10am on BBC One and 10.15am on ITV1. You will also be able to stream the match via BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website, and ITVX.
The third-place play-off, between Sweden and Australia, will be a day earlier, on Saturday 19 August, kicking off at 9am BST.
That game will be played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, and shown on ITV.
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