David Baddiel and Frank Skinner release the revamped Three Lions for World Cup 2022

Virgin Radio

18 Nov 2022, 10:00

David Baddiel and Frank Skinner are back with their fresh take on classic footy track, Three Lions, just for the 2022 World Cup. 

The comedy duo, best known as Baddiel & Skinner, first released the iconic supporter song back in 1996 alongside Lightning Seeds frontman Ian Broudie, when England was battling it out in the Euros. 

Almost 30 years on, the Three Lions remains the de facto footy song as England’s men's team continue to try and ‘bring it home’.

Now, with the World Cup in Qatar starting on Sunday (20th November), Baddiel and Skinner have revamped the iconic tune in It’s Coming Home for Christmas, and reflected the fact the stellar women’s team did indeed ‘bring it home’ earlier this year during the Women’s Euros tournament.

Releasing the full version onto YouTube, the music video opens with the triumphant England women’s team celebrating their incredible win by interrupting the post-match press conference with their own rendition, before the new version fades in. 

The clip then pans out to show the original music video, with 1996 Baddiel and Skinner celebrating on the sofa, before 2022’s duo walk through the door, clad in their Christmas jumpers. Broudie then joins his former self in the kitchen while making a round of tea. 

Singing that the team are “jinxed in July, but it’s December", the gang then get all festive by changing the lyrics to “Three Lions on a sleigh” while putting the World Cup star on the Christmas tree. 

While on The One Show last night (17th November), Skinner admitted that they “couldn’t resist the fact the World Cup was at Christmas.”

He added: “People said in the past that football songs are a little bit tacky, and of course Christmas songs are a little bit tacky.

“And two negatives make a positive! So we put so much tacky in it, it’s going to be a classic.”

On why they drew inspiration from the women’s team smashing the Euros, Baddiel continued: “Well, football came home. We decided to give it one more go on the basis the blokes have not brought it home.”

The pair also confirmed much of the same crew who worked on the original video returned for the 2022 version, including the director, which made filming the revamp “nostalgic.”

Baddiel continued: “I find it quite moving. It’s football and Christmas, but it’s also how me and Frank Skinner have survived as a friendship over an incredibly long time.”

David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and Ian Broudie will all be guests on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky on Virgin Radio on Friday 25th November - don't miss it!