Look guys, so we got carried away, it’s ok, we can admit that. Let’s move on together. We did our best, Lord knows we tried, but it wasn’t meant to be this time.
At least we didn’t go so far as to permanently marking our skin with a wildly hopeful message which turned out to not be the case.
Oh wait…
Yeah, it turns out some people did get that carried away. And who’s to blame them really, it was a sweet ride while it lasted.
Some fans were so convinced England would go on to win The World Cup this year they got ‘it’s coming home’ tattooed on themselves.
Despite losing to Belgium in the first 16, England’s victories against Panama, Tunisia and Colombia meant the Three Lions made it through to the quarter final, where they faced Sweden… and won.
Hopes were high, very high. World Cup fever was everywhere and even Love Island couldn’t distract the public from cheering on the Three Lions. ‘So let’s commemorate’, they thought.
Despite being on holiday in Ayia Napa at the time (or maybe because he was in Ayia Napa, we all know what lads’ holidays are like…) 21-year-old Zak Holman from Kent was so convinced it was coming home, he got the phrase tattooed on his right butt cheek and has absolutely no regrets about doing so.
Speaking exclusively to UNILAD, Zak explained how his mate even offered to pay for the tattoo not believing he would go through with it.
Zak said:
So we were in Ayia Napa last week and one of my friends said they’d pay for me to get it done. After winning our first game we all knew it was coming home so thought might as well.
So on our second night out we were absolutely smashed and got it done on our way back to the hotel. It only cost €25 so a bit of a bargain if you ask me!
My mate was shocked as they didn’t actually believe me when I said I had got it done.
I’ve got no regrets whatsoever. I think it’s quality!
When asked whether he will be embarrassed now that, well, football hasn’t quite come home, he remained positive.
He concluded:
If it don’t come this year, we’ve always got the Euro’s in two years time and another World Cup in four years and I’m sure the tattoo will still be there then. [sic].
Unsurprisingly, however, Zak wasn’t the only one:
Going one step further, and therefore making the tattoo a bit redundant once Southgate changes up the squad, was Dan Welch, who said:
Putting my neck on the line, but if @England get to the quarter finals with that squad, I will get the 23 man squad tattooed on me.
And the results speak for themselves:
Then there’s this guy, who was so convinced England would go on and win the tournament, he got a tattoo of the trophy along with the words ‘England 2018 World Cup Winners’.
Oh dear, Jamie.
Sadly, a loss to Croatia last night (July 11) means football’s not actually coming home.
But still, it’s been one brilliant tournament with the England squad completely winning over the nation and making everybody seriously proud in the process – so I guess that ink can be a reminder of that.
Anyway, it’s coming home in 2022 instead, you heard it here first.
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via stories@unilad.co.uk.
Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.