Robbie Williams reveals how England players really feel about ‘Three Lions’ song after secret World Cup show

Three Lions is an ever-present sound when England compete in major tournaments, a song that raises hope around the country.

But when pop legend Robbie Williams performed the hit song to the actual Three Lions squad, he didn’t get the best of receptions.

Getty

Williams made a special appearance on talkSPORT Drive on Thursday amid the release of Britpop, his record-breaking 16th no. 1 album.

As a fan Port Vale, he spoke on his interactions with the footballing world, which recently included a performance at the World Cup draw.

He even got the opportunity to hang out with the England squad at the tournament in Qatar in 2022.

Williams played a secret set to Gareth Southgate’s squad, but it may not have been his greatest selection of hits.

“I made the mistake, I thought, ‘Oh, I know what they’ll like’,” he told Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent.

“So I did Angels, I did Feel and I thought to myself, ‘They’ll really like It’s Coming Home’. No…”

Three Lions, also known as It’s Coming Home, is the work of comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel, and the Lightning Seeds.

It was released ahead of Euro 96 and, as England were the hosts, was a hopeful tune in a search for a first trophy since the 1966 World Cup.

The song has remained popular ever since and will undoubtedly be heard among England fans during this summer’s World Cup.

However, Williams said: “I think that song is now an albatross around everybody’s neck.

Getty

Getty

“It winds up the other countries. I know it does because I’ve got friends that play international football and they just hate that song, and hate us because of that song.

“I think the England football team are just feeling the same way about it.”

Trent the Traitors trickster

Williams also recalled playing the popular game show Traitors with the England squad when he visited them in Qatar.

But it seems that when it came down to the most crucial moment, he was cheekily aided by the then-Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold.

“I played Villagers and Wolves, or Traitors, I played that game with the England squad,” the pop legend said.

“It came down to me choosing between [Bukayo] Saka and [Harry] Kane for who was the traitor, basically.

Getty

“I was gonna choose Kane, and I’ll tell the squad now. I looked at Trent Alexander-Arnold, and he just went [shakes his head].

“He cheated?” asked Goldstein, and Williams said: “Yeah, yeah, and I’m so glad he did because I went with Harry Kane.

“And then the whole England squad jumped on me like we’d scored a goal, and it was the best moment of my life.”

Can England win it?

Williams also revealed that he has met current manager Thomas Tuchel and that the German’s ‘madness’ could be what helps the Three Lions finally win the World Cup in the summer.

He said: “I met Tuchel at Christmas, we were in the same place at the same hotel – I met him and Harry Kane.

“Tuchel is funny, he’s eccentric, there’s a madness about him which is intruiging and you like him because of it.

Getty

“For anybody to get to the top of the top, there needs to be some sort of madness and Tuchel has got that.

“And because of that and the players we have, we might just tip it over the line [at the 2026 World Cup].”

He added: “There’s a psychological problem to get over.

“That’s the last thing we have to get over…it’s the mentality that we have to sort out and if we do that, we can go on a run.

“Tuchel can do the trick for us…I don’t know if we can get over the psychological barrier.

“It’s hope that kills.”