Three Lions (Football's Coming Home) - Three Lions (Football's Coming Home)

What this video is

Released on 20 May 1996 through Epic Records, Three Lions (Football's Coming Home) was commissioned as the official anthem for England's hosting of UEFA Euro 96. Written by Lightning Seeds frontman Ian Broudie with lyrics by comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner — then co-presenters of BBC2's Fantasy Football League — the song deliberately subverted the tradition of triumphalist squad recordings by centering on…

Why it matters

Defines the football-pop crossover genre in British music: a rare instance where indie-pop songwriting craft (Lightning Seeds' Broudie), stand-up comedy celebrity (Baddiel and Skinner), and national sporting identity fused into a culturally durable artefact. The video's documentary-hybrid format —…

The director

Pedro Romhanyi is a British music video director who began directing promos at London Records in 1987. He became prominent in the Britpop era through a long run of iconic UK videos, including work for Pulp (Common People, Disco 2000, Babies), Suede (Animal…