Euro 2020: Learn all the chants sung by England fans ahead of the final

From Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’ to Atomic Kitten’s tribute to Gareth Southgate, here’s all the lyrics you need to know

England fans cheer during England v Denmark on 7 July, 2020 (Getty Images)

After Wednesday’s 2-1 win against Denmark, England fans could witness the national team bring football home for the first time in more than half a century on Sunday.

Following an intense game, squad captain Harry Kane cemented England’s place in the upcoming Euro 2020 final against Italy, scoring a winning goal in extra time. It marks the first time England have made it through to the final stages of an international tournament since 1966.

It was a momentous occasion; those watching the game at Wembley were sent into delirium, while the sound of people singing their favourite chants, either in their homes, at outdoor venues or on the street, could be heard up and down the country.

While fans have waxed odes to their favourite players over the years, the upbeat tone and simplicity of “Three Lions” means it has managed to keep hold of its status as the de facto chorus of English football.

Another firm favourite, dubbed the “unofficial national anthem” amongst football fans, is “Sweet Caroline”, with both England players and spectators at Wembley belting out the words to Neil Diamond’s classic following their historic win on Wednesday.

Ahead of the action at the tournament’s final on Sunday, 11 July, we’ve rounded up English football’s most popular chants so you’ve got time to learn the lyrics before the historic game.

Three Lions (It’s Coming Home)

As England prepared to compete in the 1996 UEFA European Championship, comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner teamed up with rock band The Lightning Seeds to bring the nation “Three Lions (It’s Coming Home)”. In the years since the song’s chorus has become one of England’s most popular chants.

Standing the test of time, the song re-enters the UK Singles Chart whenever England participates in major tournaments, even reaching number one in 2018 when England made it through to the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

“I think it’s bad news for the English game

We’re not creative enough, and we’re not positive enough

It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming

Football’s coming home

It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming

Football’s coming home

It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming

Football’s coming home

It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming

Football’s coming home

Everyone seems to know the score, they’ve seen it all before

They just know, they’re so sure

That England’s gonna throw it away, gonna blow it away

But I know they can play, ‘cause I remember

Three lions on a shirt

Jules Rimet still gleaming

Thirty years of hurt

Never stopped me dreaming

So many jokes, so many sneers

But all those “Oh, so near”s wear you down through the years

But I still see that tackle by Moore and when Lineker scored

Bobby belting the ball, and Nobby dancing

Three lions on a shirt

Jules Rimet still gleaming

Thirty years of hurt

Never stopped me dreaming

England have done it, in the last minute of extra time!

What a save, Gordon Banks!

Good old England, England that couldn’t play football!

England have got it in the bag!

I know that was then, but it could be again

It’s coming home, it’s coming

Football’s coming home

It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming

Football’s coming home (England have done it!)

It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming

Football’s coming home

It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming

Football’s coming home

(It’s coming home) Three lions on a shirt

(It’s coming home, it’s coming) Jules Rimet still gleaming

Football’s coming home

(It’s coming home) Thirty years of hurt

(It’s coming home, it’s coming) Never stopped me dreaming

Football’s coming home

(It’s coming home) Three lions on a shirt

(It’s coming home, it’s coming) Jules Rimet still gleaming

Football’s coming home

(It’s coming home) Thirty years of hurt

(It’s coming home, it’s coming) Never stopped me dreaming

Football’s coming home

(It’s coming home) Three lions on a shirt

(It’s coming home, it’s coming) Jules Rimet still gleaming

Football’s coming home

(It’s coming home) Thirty years of hurt

(It’s coming home, it’s coming) Never stopped me dreaming

Football’s coming home”

Southgate You’re The One

A relatively new chant, created in appreciation of England manager, Gareth Southgate, “Southgate You’re The One” rewrites the lyrics of Atomic Kitten’s throwback classic, “Whole Again”.

The chant has proven so popular that the girl group have reunited in the name of football spirit. After footage of Liz McClarnon, Jenny Frost and Natasha Hamilton performing the new take on their song at a number of venues emerged, they have now released it as an official single.

Putting a football-themed spin on the 2000 single, fans have been chanting the following:

“If you see me walking down the street

Staring at the sky

And dragging my two feet

You just pass me by

It still makes me cry

But football’s coming home again

And if you see me in the stands

I’m laughing and I’m joking

Doing what I can

I won’t put you down

‘Cause I want you around

Football’s coming home again

Looking back on when we first met

I cannot escape and I cannot forget

Southgate, you’re the one – you still turn me on

Football’s coming home again

Time is laying heavy on my heart

Seems I’ve got too much of it

Since we’ve been apart

My friends make me smile

If only for a while

Football’s coming home again

Looking back on when we first met

I cannot escape and I cannot forget

Southgate, you’re the one – you still turn me on

Football’s coming home again

For now I have to wait

But this is our time

It is our fate

‘Cause I just can’t go on

It’s already been too long

Football’s coming home again

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Looking back on when we first met

I cannot escape and I cannot forget

Southgate, you’re the one – you still turn me on

Football’s coming home again

Oh, oh, oh

Looking back on when we first met

I cannot escape and I cannot forget

Southgate, you’re the one – you still turn me on

Football’s coming home again

Southgate, you’re the one – you still turn me on

Football’s coming home again

Sweet Caroline

Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” has long been a popular choice amongst athletes. Northern Irish professional darts player, Daryl Gurney, uses the American hit as his walk-on music, while Aston Villa and Chelsea fans are known to chant its lyrics at football games.

The song is now taking centre stage at this year’s UEFA tournament after Wembley Stadium DJ Tony Parry, played it after England’s 2-0 win against Germany. Explaining his choice to play Sweet Caroline, Parry told TalkSPORT he was going to play “Vindaloo”, but “went with [his] gut”.

“Even the German fans were belting it out in the end,” he said, adding that it is a song “that all fans can enjoy”.

Since then, the England squad and fans alike have been belting out the 1969 hit before and after matches.

While the song was not intended to be a football anthem, lyrics such as “Who’d have believed you’d come along” conjure up a sentiment similar to that of “football’s coming home”.

The song has won the approval of England manager Gareth Southgate, who told ITV: “You can’t beat a bit of Neil Diamond to celebrate.”

“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”

Don’t take me home

Originally a chant sang by fans of the Welsh football team during the Euro 2016 tournament in France, “Don’t Take Me Home” has earned popularity with fans of the England and Northern Ireland teams.

Set to the tune of Billy Ray Cyrus’ Achy Breaky Heart, it turns “Football’s Coming Home” on its head, instead, pleading for the team to stay in the tournament for as long as possible.

“Don’t take me home,

Please don’t take me home

I just don’t want to go home

I wanna stay here, drink all your beer

Please don’t, please don’t take me home”

Vindaloo

Another English classic, “Vindaloo” was released ahead of the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Written by British band Fat Les, the song’s “nah nah nah” has become a firm favourite of football fans as they march to stadiums, while the lyric “We’re England; we’re gonna score one more than you”, provides the perfect combination of optimism ahead of a match and relish when England score.

“Where on earth are you from?

We're from England

Where you come from

Do you put the kettle on?

Kick it

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah nah nah

Nah nah nah (bonjour)

Nah nah nah (monsieur)

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah nah nah

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah Nah

We're England

We're gonna score one more than you

England!

Can I introduce you please

To a lump of cheddar cheese

Knit one, pearl one

Drop one, curl one

Kick it

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah nah nah

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah nah nah

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah

Nah nah nah Nah

We're England

We're gonna score one more than you

England!

Me and me Mum and me Dad and me Gran

We're off to Waterloo

Me and me Mum and me Dad and me Gran

And a bucket of Vindaloo

Bucket!

Vindaloo

Vindaloo

Vindaloo

Vindaloo nah nah

Vindaloo

Vindaloo

Vindaloo

Vindaloo nah nah

Vindaloo

Vindaloo

And we all like Vindaloo

We're England

We're gonna score one more than you

England!

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah nah nah

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah nah nah

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

And we all like Vindaloo

We're England

We're gonna score one more than you

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah nah nah

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah nah nah

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

Nah nah nah (Vindaloo)

And we all like Vindaloo

We're England

We're gonna score one more than you

England!”

Engerland

There’s not a whole lot to say about this one. The “Engerland” chant simply adds an extra syllable to the country’s name to make for more melodic chanting.

“En-ger-land”

We’re On The Ball

While England hasn’t managed to make it through to a cup final in the last 50 years or so, England fans have remained steadfast in their confidence in the squad. Enter Ant & Dec’s “We’re On The Ball”, which was first released ahead of the 2002 World Cup. The chant includes a nod to England’s 1966 World Cup win, its Three Lions logo, and the Union Jack flag.

“They thought it was all over but it's only just begun

The cup of eastern promise in the land of the rising sun

Seemed a million miles away and one thing's for sure

The talk begins of 66 'cause we haven't found a cure

Send an SOS, a country's in need

Sven's the man, he's got a plan, we've found a super Swede

A nation re-united and England comes alive

Golden balls is captain and Heskey makes it five

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

Red, white and blue, the colors, the whole world in our hands

The time has come to kick it, can we kick it? Yes, we can

Sven's army marching forward, hear three lions roar?

We're England forever, now altogether, we're on the ball

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

We're on the ball

Over the wall, and into the net! David Beckham has done it!

What do you think of the song Motty?

Oh fantastic song

Is it gonna be a hit?

Yes it is!

Cambell to Rio, he's in the middle

It's Neville to Cambell (we're on the ball)

Cambell to Rio (we're on the ball)

Rio to Scholesy (we're on the ball)

Scholesy Gerrard (we're on the ball)

Gerrard to Beckham (we're on the ball)

Beckham to Heskey (we're on the ball)

Heskey to Owen, to Nodd (five one)

(We're on the ball)

It's Neville to Cambell (we're on the ball)

Cambell to Rio (we're on the ball)

Rio to Scolsey (we're on the ball)

Scolsey Gerrard (we're on the ball)

Gerrard to Beckham (we're on the ball)

Beckham to Heskey (we're on the ball)

Heskey to Owen to Nodd (five one)

(We're on the ball)

It's Neville to Cambell (let's go to Cambell please)

Cambell to Rio (he always get the journey)

Rio to Scolsey (we're on the ball)

Scolsey Gerrard

Gerrard to Beckham (we're on the ball)

Beckham to Heskey (we're on the ball)

Heskey to Owen to Nodd

We're on the ball”

We love you England

Another simple entry, this one needs little explaining, other than giving fans the opportunity to express their love for their national team.

“We love you England, we do,

We love you England,

We do,

We love you England,

We do,

Oh England we love you”

England ‘Til I Die

In another upbeat chant, in “England ‘Til I Die” fans declare their unwavering allegiance to the England team, until death do them part.

“England till I die,

I’m England till I die,

I know I am I’m sure I am,

I’m England till i die”

National Anthem (God Save the Queen)

The national anthem is played before every England match during international tournaments as a symbol of patriotism. During this year’s tournament, the whole of the England squad has been taking the knee during the anthem as a stand against racism.

In an open letter published on The Players’ Tribune, Southgate said the team has a “responsibility” to use their voice on issues such as racism.

“It’s their duty to continue to interact with the public on matters such as equality, inclusivity and racial injustice, while using the power of their voices to help put debates on the table, raise awareness and educate,” he said.

“God save our gracious Queen, long live our noble Queen,

God save the Queen

Send her victorious, happy and glorious, long to reign over us

God save the Queen

O Lord, our God, arise,

Scatter her enemies, nnd make them fall

Confound their politics, frustrate their knavish tricks, on thee our hopes we fix

God save the Queen

Thy choicest gifts in store, on her be pleased to pour,

Long may she reign, may she defend our laws,

And ever give us cause to sing with heart and voice

God save the Queen

From every latent foe, from the assassins blow, God save the Queen!

O’er her thine arm extend, for Britain’s sake defend, our mother, prince, and friend, God save the Queen!”

Super Jack

And then there’s the chants which cheer on specific players, such as “Super Jack” for England midfielder Jack Grealish.

After being named man of the match in the final Euro 2020 warm-up match against Romania, Grealish has been assigned to the bench for much of the tournament, being substituted onto the pitch after the match gets underway.

Fans have taken to welcoming him on, chanting “Super Jack” as he takes his place. Speaking to BBC Sport, Grealish said hearing fans singing his name gives him an “unbelievable feeling”.

“When they are cheering my name like this and singing my song there’s nothing more I want to do that pay them back with goals and assist so hopefully my goal will come soon,” he said in June.

“Super, Super Jack,

Super, Super Jack,

Super, Super Jack,

Super Jacky Grealish”

Harry Maguire’s ‘massive head’

England defender Harry Maguire has also earned his own, personalised chant, but for reasons unknown, it’s nothing about his football capabilities and all about his reported love of alcohol and the size of his head.

“One, two, three, four!

Harry Maguire!

Harry Maguire!

He drinks the vodka,

He drinks the jaeger,

His head’s f*cking massive!”