Before tomorrow's Euro 2020 final, David Baddiel, Frank Skinner, and Lightning Seeds might have performed Three Lions (It's Coming Home), but UEFA rejected the notion.
After England made it to the final of Euro 2020, their first major final in 55 years, the 1996 Euros anthem has seen yet another comeback, with the tune re-entering the UK top five this week.
The Lightning Seeds' Baddiel, Skinner, and Ian Broudie sang their immortal football anthem on Friday night's The Last Leg Euros special, and Skinner stated that UEFA rejected the notion that they perform in Wembley Stadium because it would be unjust to visiting opponents Italy.
‘There was a suggestion that we sing it on the pitch before the final on Sunday, but UEFA decided it was too partisan and unfair to the Italians,' the 64-year-old comic claimed.
‘Before the first game, which pitted Italy versus Turkey, Andrea Bocelli sang Nessun dorma!'
To be fair to UEFA, aria Nessun dorma has become a bit of a football tournament staple, having been performed at the 1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002 World Cups, and it doesn't mention any Italian footballers – unlike Three Lions, which is a tribute to the 1966 England team and praises Bobby Moore, Gary Lineker, Bobby Charlton, and Nobby Stiles.
Three Lions was first released in 1996 and was re-recorded for the World Cup in 1998, but it has since crept back up the charts with every major football tournament, most recently in the 2018 World Cup when England reached the semi-finals.
Chants of "It's Coming Home" have been heard across the country now that the team is one game away from lifting the trophy, but some have criticized the song, stating that the super-catchy refrain is too arrogant.
Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel said ahead of England's encounter against Denmark on Wednesday night: 'Has it ever been home?' Have you ever won it before?' - alluding to the fact that, unlike Denmark, England has never won a European title.
On The Last Leg, Baddiel, 57, stated, "There's a thing that's happened where people are saying it's arrogant, which is strange because the song is deeply vulnerable about primarily losing but might not."
‘But it's also a strange notion that a football song should be full of humility.' Every week at Chelsea, I declare Chelsea to be the greatest team the world has ever seen, and no one tells me, "How dare you, that's arrogant."
Regardless of the outcome, we believe the Three Lions' support will be at an all-time high on Sunday when England takes on Italy for the title.
There were six football anthems in the top 100 as of Friday, with Three Lions at number four.
Fat Les' Vindaloo debuted at number 36, followed by Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline at number 48 and Krept & Konan, S1lva and M1llionz's Ole (We Are England) at number 59.
New Order's World In Motion went to number 61 – presumably because of the John Barnes rap – while Atomic Kitten's Whole Again remix, Southgate, went to number 62. Number 86 was You're The One (Football's Coming Home Again).
