England followers mortified to study they have been singing Three Lions improper for years

On Jun 14, 2024

Euro 2024 is about to get underway and it’s safe to say we’re very excited.

While some of us have been sticking flags up around the home, others have been buying shirts and booking out beer gardens to watch the big games on.

If you’re an England football fan, you can get into the spirit by learning all the team chants and anthems. But before belting them out, make sure you’ve got the lyrics right!

That’s because many footie fanatics are just realising they’ve been getting the words to Three Lions wrong. Even though The Lightning Seeds and comedy duo Frank Skinner and David Baddiel released the song back in 1996, people are still getting the lyrics incorrect.

There’s a common line that people fudge – and it sounds like ‘jewels remain still gleaming’. However, the lyrics actually read: “Jules Rimet still gleaming.”

This references FIFA’s longest-serving president Jules Rimet, who was honoured by having the World Cup Trophy named after him between 1946 and 1970.

Dozens of X (formerly Twitter) users shared their shock at the realisation. “Sorry, but Jules Rimet still gleaming? Thought it was jewels remain still gleaming for 25 years,” one wrote.

Another agreed, commenting: “Oh my GOD. This whole time, 22 years, I thought the line was ‘Jewels remain still gleaming’… Like… the crown jewels. I know nothing.” While a third added: “Can’t remember what age I was when I realised it wasn’t ‘jewels remain, still gleaming’. In my late 20s, I reckon.”

For anyone struggling to remember, just practice this verse:

Three lions on a shirt,
Jules Rimet still gleaming
No more years of hurt
No more need for dreaming

We will first play Serbia on Sunday (June 16), so you’ve only got a couple of days to get rehearsing. It’s coming home, people!

Euro 2024