It’s not coming home. England played Italy in the Euro final on Sunday night at London’s Wembley Stadium and lost in a pressure-filled penalty-kick showdown. As Italian fans danced and celebrated, English fans, including Prince William, his wife, Catherine, and son, George, who were in attendance, had to go back to dreaming.
England fans had hoped that the victory was “coming home,” playing off the chorus of the England tribute song, Three Lions (It’s Coming Home), by English comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner and the band The Lightning Seeds, which marked England’s hosting of Euro 1996.
It’s coming to Rome
But instead of coming home, the win is coming to Rome, as Italian fans were quick to note on social media. Even Italian player Leonardo Bonucci got in the “coming to Rome” taunt.
Poor England
The loss means England will continue on for at least awhile in its pop-culture role as an eternal underdog, one of the globe’s most cursed programs, apparently. And don’t think non-fans didn’t remind them.
“Honestly the best part of Italy’s win was that shot of the royal family looking sad,” tweeted Kristin Chirico.
Honestly the best part of Italy’s win was that shot of the royal family looking sad
— Kristin Chirico (@lolacoaster) July 11, 2021
Trophies won since 1967:
Brazil 🇧🇷 15
France 🇫🇷 7
Germany 🇩🇪 7
Argentina 🇦🇷 5
Spain 🇪🇸 4
Nigeria 🇳🇬 3
Italy 🇮🇹 4
Portugal 🇵🇹 2
Greece 🇬🇷 1
Russia 🇷🇺 1
Denmark 🇩🇰 1
England 🏴 0 😭😭😭Nigeria 🇳🇬 is greater than Pengland in my book
— The Process Burner 🔥 (37-17) (@BurnerProcess) July 11, 2021
Mario and the pizza
Two Italian fans caught viewers’ eyes with their costumes–she’s dressed as a slice of pizza, while he’s SuperMario. They were probably happy after the penalty kicks, but the cameras caught them in an uncertain moment many people rushed to caption and joke about.
“You’re still going to dress as a pizza, right?” joked one Twitter user. “What do you mean? We talked about this weeks ago!”
Said another, “Italy’s had all the momentum since they showed Pizza Girl and Super Mario Boyfriend.”
You’re still going to dress as a pizza, right? What do you mean? We talked about this weeks ago!
— Get vaccinated! Let’s have a fun summer! (@writer0076) July 11, 2021
Italy’s had all the momentum since they showed Pizza Girl and Super Mario Boyfriend
— lukezim (@lukezim) July 11, 2021
“Right so I’m going as Mario and you’ll go as–”
“A pizza?”
“No, I’m Mario, so you’ll be–“
“Mario’s friend, an anthropomorphic pizza”— Cool Rory Summer 🐑🐑🐑 (@roryisconfused) July 11, 2021
A lot of enduring images from this tournament but unfortunately the one that will outlast all others for me is the pizza/mario duo pic.twitter.com/YtYJ3hn3Pz
— Hanif Abdurraqib (@NifMuhammad) July 11, 2021
Royal disappointment
Many viewers were entertained by young Prince George’s reactions, mainly to England’s goal and then later to the team’s loss. The future king of England, who’s just 7 now, might want to get used to disappointing England matches.
“Prince George is perhaps every England football fan right now – from sheer ecstasy of Luke Shaw goal to heartbreak of watching Rashford, Sancho and Saka miss penalties!” wrote one Twitter user. “Football will come home, not today but someday! Congratulations Italy.”
Prince George is perhaps every England football fan right now – from Sheer ecstasy of Luke Shaw goal to heart break of watching Rashford, Sancho and Saka miss Penalties!
Football will come home, not today but someday!
Congratulations Italy.#Euro2020Final pic.twitter.com/GrxpfzgIu5— LASIEF ABDIKHADIR (@LasiefA) July 11, 2021
For England fans — well, there’s always the next World Cup, which will be held in Qatar in the fall of 2022 to avoid the intense heat of the Middle Eastern country.
It’s all good Bruv I love you kid we go and smash the World Cup
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) July 11, 2021