When the Lionesses triumphed at the Uefa Women’s European Championship this summer, it ended 56 years of hurt as English football celebrated a first major trophy since 1966.
Six months later, the England men’s team will be going for glory as they look to add the Fifa World Cup to the cabinet at St. George’s Park. After reaching the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and the final of the Euros last year, can Gareth Southgate’s side go a step further in Qatar?
Should England progress deep into the tournament in Qatar there will no doubt be cries of “it’s coming home!” as fans and social media users dream of Harry Kane lifting the trophy.
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Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home) – the Euro 96 anthem written by David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and The Lightning Seeds and then remade for the France 98 World Cup – has been the inspiration behind many social media memes during the 2018 World Cup and last year’s Euros. Featuring familiar scenes from TV, film, pop culture and politics, characters including Thomas Shelby, Shrek and Jordan Belfort have got behind England’s bid for glory.
After “so many jokes” and “so many sneers”, there’s been too many “oh-so-nears” for fans of the England men’s team. But it’s never stopped them from dreaming… Here we pick out some of the best “it’s coming home” England memes expected to start doing the rounds during the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar.
Thomas Shelby and the ‘Pickford Blinders’
Thomas Shelby had the foresight to book ahead when planning for the Euro 2020 final (first video), but has he, and England, met their match in Luca Changretta and Italy? No, says Tommy, they’re no match for the “Pickford Blinders”. Charlie Hopkinson’s voiceover talents take these Euro memes to another level.
Shrek
A favourite meme from 2018, not only is this patriotically reworked version of the clockwork chorus scene from Shrek brilliantly done, the green ogre’s underwhelmed reaction speaks for Scots everywhere…
Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street
On the opposite end of the scale, this redub of a scene from the Martin Scorsese biopic of fast-living stockbroker Jordan Belfort is all the more hilarious for its lack of finesse.
Ron Burgundy
Top effort points go to the genius behind this exquisite redub of Will Ferrell’s dodgy flute playing in Anchorman. A cracking effort from the team at JOE.
Vladimir Putin
Another JOE masterpiece, even piano playing Russian President Vladimir Putin knows it’s coming home.
Neo from The Matrix
A classic meme from the World Cup run in 2018. This take on the red pill/blue pill scene in The Matrix takes aim at England fans’ decades of disappointed dreams.
Marcel from Friends
Friends fans will remember that Ross’s pet monkey, Marcel, was obsessed with the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Well, not any more…
Del Boy Trotter
Del Boy is on hand to give Gareth Southgate a few words of encouragement in this clever re-edit of Only Fools and Horses.
Laurel and Hardy
Funnymen Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy loved to have a dance and their moves were perfect for a Three Lions meme.
The inmates of Shawshank State Penitentiary
This one was almost too easy…
A classic movie compilation…
Featuring scenes from movies such as American Pie, Pulp Fiction, and Toy Story…
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