US writer sparks fury by claiming Baddiel and Skinner’s Three Lions is about England’s ‘Brexit psychodrama’
A US writer has sparked fury – and plenty of mocking – after claiming Baddiel and Skinner’s Three Lions is about England’s “Brexit psychodrama”.
A New Yorker article by Ryu Spaeth has offered a rather pompous take on why Brits love the beautiful game.
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Instead of focusing on the Lions’ flawless performances on the pitch – and their great manners off of it – Spaeth claims our “tortured psychology” is behind our passion for Euro 2020.
Even more hilariously, he suggests Three Lions is an anthem to an “undying belief that a postwar legacy of thwarted ambition and diminished stature will be purged in the ecstasy of a footballing triumph”.
And he claims Brexit is at the heart of it all – as leaving the EU has “seemingly reoriented every issue of importance along its tribal lines”.
Unsurprisingly, many England supporters have disagreed – and they’ve set about puncturing the author’s pretentious waffle.
David Baddiel was one of the first to defend his song.
The comedian bluntly told Spaeth: “It’s about how we mainly lose but still irrationally believe that this time, hope might triumph over experience.
“It’s about yearning and magical thinking. It’s about the condition of being a football fan.
“Admittedly people have taken Football’s Coming Home to mean all sorts of b******s.”
One Twitter user replied: “Some people will read anything into things, won’t they?!
“It’s a love song about the England team and being a football fan in general.”
Another said: “It’s the optimism of being a fan of either a club or a nation that never wins b*gger all.
“You still turn up every week thinking that you’ll win.”
Journalist Jane Merrick was the first to share the article with Baddiel.
“The song isn’t about a Brexity, dewy-eyed nostalgia for 50s England!” she tweeted.
A user replied: “It’s about FOOTBALL.
“Sorry to disappoint people trying to hijack or give a radical theory.
“It’s about good old football. The working class sport.”
Others complained directly to Spaeth’s Twitter.
One said: “You have almost zero grip on understanding English football. I salute you”, while a second blasted: “What a dreadful article. Just so wrong, wrong, wrong.”
More labelled the writer “cringe-worthy” and said: “Reads like what it is, a story written by someone who doesn’t have the first idea about the subject and has absolutely no intention of finding out.”
Millions of Brits untortured by our national identity and ready to sing along with the Three Lions will be watching England’s final against Italy on Sunday.
Gareth Southgate and co will be hoping history doesn’t repeat itself as the country gears up for our biggest game for 55 years.
England have won just ONE major tournament – the stunning 4-2 victory against West Germany to win the 1966 World Cup.
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But now captain Harry Kane has the chance to lead his troops into the record books in front of 60,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium.
Hopes are high after England laid the semi-final curse to rest with a fantastic 2-1 victory over Denmark on Wednesday night at Wembley.
But it’ll be a nail-biting clash – and the Lions have never beaten Italy in a major tournament.
The last time they faced each other was at the 2014 World Cup, with the Italians winning 2-1.
Boris Johnson has refused to rule out a day off for millions of hungover workers on Monday if England wins.
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The PM remained tight-lipped when quizzed on any plans yesterday.
He said: “I think that would be tempting fate – let’s see.”
But the Sun has learnt officials are already drawing up proposals for a national day off so fans can celebrate a Three Lions triumph free from hated Covid restrictions.
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