Frank Skinner has claimed that Uefa have prevented him and David Baddiel from performing “Three Lions” at the Euro 2020 final.
Released in 1996 in collaboration with The Lightning Seeds, the football song, with its catchy refrain of “it’s coming home”, has been the unofficial anthem of England fans during this and other international tournaments.
While fans have called for the track to be performed during Sunday’s (11 July) historic final between England and Italy, Skinner said on The Last Leg on Friday (9 July) that the group were not allowed to take part in the event as it was deemed “too partisan”.
“There was a suggestion that we sang it on the pitch before the final on Sunday and Uefa said it was too partisan and not fair to the Italians to have that,” the stand-up comic explained.
However, he pointed out that Andrea Bocelli had been allowed to perform “Nessun Dorma” during the opening game of the tournament between Italy and Turkey.
A Uefa spokesperson told The Independent: “Uefa can confirm that such a request was received yesterday. However, the programme for the closing ceremony has already been finalised, and no additional elements can be integrated at this stage due to the very tight countdown schedule and operational complexities ahead of the kick-off.
“The song ‘Three Lions – It’s Coming Home’ is the fan song selected by the English Football Association, and will be played during the players’ warm-up, as has been the case for England’s previous matches (with the karaoke graphics on the giant screens).”
It comes as UK ministers are warned not to say “it’s coming home” when supporting the England team as the comment does not “go down well overseas”.
Skinner and Baddiel in 1998
(REX/Shutterstock)
Following England’s semi-final win against Denmark on Wednesday (8 July), Baddiel suggested that he thought England even reaching a final was enough to say that football had “already come home”.
“I think really what it is telling us is that it has been difficult,” the comic said.
“It has been really difficult for a lot of people at the moment and I think the fact England have managed to do this, the relief of all that time is also the relief of the Covid experience and the fact we can have a bit of joy and a bit of celebration.”
