England football songs can feel like pure hope in your chest, but one chorus still drags me back to the moment belief turned into heartbreak. By Garry Bushell PUBLISHED: 07:00, Wed, Jun 10, 2026.
England are hoping for victory in World Cup 2026. Music and football have crossed over for decades. In 1990, Luciano Pavarotti's flawless rendition of Nessun Dorma, from Puccini's Turandot, was chosen as the theme for BBC coverage of the FIFA World Cup in Italy. The song was as perfect as it was sublime, a swelling tide of hope facing off against operatic tragedy. I can't hear it without picturing Gazza's tears when England lost to West Germany on penalties in the semi-final. The closing 'Vincero' (I will win) captured soccer's drama and passion, catapulting Big P to number two in the charts. The whole world was football crazy that year, and not for the first time.
The earliest footie song, The Dooley Fitba' Club, was written in the 19th Century and re-recorded as Football Crazy in 1960 by Scots folk duo Robin Hall & Jimmie Macgregor. BBC TV's Tonight show and radio play helped it seep into the public consciousness. Three years later, the sound of the terraces dominated the charts for the first time when the Dave Clark Five romped to No 1 with Glad All Over. Their 'Tottenham Sound' – north London's boisterous answer to Merseybeat – consisted of instantly catchy songs inspired by the White Hart Lane crowds. Clark, a life-long Spurs supporter, loved the club so much he tried to buy it, and his beefy and unique booming drum beat – developed with engineer Adrian Kerridge – influenced glam rock. Freddie Mercury said Queen got the idea for 1977's We Will Rock You from Dave Clark's Bits & Pieces. The B-side, We Are The Champions was also terrace inspired.
Wolverhampton's Slade channelled a similar blend of rowdy rock with hefty hooks and choruses. Hits like Cum On Feel the Noize and Mama Weer All Crazee Now were regularly blasted over stadium speakers to hype up pre-match crowds, although their one football song, 1978's Give Us A Goal (complete with old-school grumbles like 'Stop your fancy footwork now!'), conked out at No 62 in the charts. The ultimate goal for soccer-loving English musicians has long been to craft the perfect England song, one that captures the hopes, thrills and disappointments of the beautiful game. And so, after seven decades of football-rock cross-overs, what England anthems were the greatest? Here's my verdict.
11. We're On The Ball – Ant & Dec
The official England song for the 2002 World Cup was this cheesy but likeable high-energy fan favourite which reached the Top 3. Adapted from Harold Spiro's novelty song, On The Ball, the insanely catchy chorus names the squad's key stars as the Geordie poppets build the excitement: 'It's Neville to Campbell, Campbell to Rio, Rio to Scholesy, Scholesy to Gerrard, Gerrard to Beckham, Beckham to Heskey, Heskey to Owen to Nodd (five one)!' – recalling England's celebrated 5-1 victory over Germany in 2001. Sven's Army was marching forward, they pledged. 'A nation re-united/And England comes alive/Golden balls is captain/And Heskey makes it five'. (There was no Nodd, they mangled the words, 'to God'). The video features Ant dressed as Sven Goran Eriksson. Spiro, a staunch Spurs fan, previously wrote the Novello-Award-winning Nice One Cyril, inspired by Tottenham Hotspur's cracking left-back, Cyril Knowles. Performed by the Cockerel Chorus, it went Top 15 in March 1973.
10. (How Does It Feel To Be) On Top Of The World – England United
FA-endorsed as England's official song for France 98, England United were an unlikely supergroup made up of Echo & The Bunnymen, Ocean Colour Scene, Space & The Spice Girls. Channelling the optimism of the times, the song mixed Britpop and mainstream pop turning it into a very 90s Top Ten smash. The Bunnymen's Ian McCulloch and Johnny Marr wrote it. They spurned the temptation to include terrace chants and went instead for jangling guitars, a driving rhythm and a sublimely uplifting feel. The gently infectious chorus comes loaded with mellow optimism. The song soars, the harmonies lift. It's perfect pop. The only problem is we got beaten by Argentina on penalties at the knock-out stage. On the plus side they persuaded David 'Batts' Batty to be in the music video.
9. Jerusalem – Fat Les
A surprisingly stirring rendition of William Blake and Sir Hubert Parry's patriotic 19th century masterpiece. Actor Keith Allen brought in choirs and an orchestra to do Blake's words and Parry's composition justice. Produced by the Pet Shop Boys, it was the official England song for Euro 2000 and went Top Ten. Fat Les, who'd had earlier success with Vindaloo, are a 'supergroup' dreamed up by Allen, Blur bassist Alex James, and artist Damien Hirst. The video featured The London Community Gospel Choir and cameos from a young Alfie Allen (Keith's Game Of Thrones star actor son, in goal), Danny Dyer (in a West Ham away shirt), and a quick flash of Lily Allen (Keith's popstar-to-be daughter). Blake's poem was transformed into an unofficial English national anthem in 1916 when composer Parry set the verses to music. Commissioned during World War I to boost morale, the poignant rallying tune turned the poet's plea for spiritual renewal into an enduring patriotic staple. Many England fans believe that the majestic Jerusalem should be England football's national anthem rather than the British God Save The King.
8. England's Irie – Black Grape feat. Joe Strummer & Keith Allen
The Clash had always refused to appear on Top Of The Pops, so this hit song marked the late Joe Strummer's first appearance on the show. Black Grape's breezy Euro 96 single captures the Manchester band's swaggering essence, mixing together funky rock, hip-hop breaks and Joe's raspy intro. Driven by a laid-back groove, the infectious track peaked at No 6 in 1996. Not so much terrace rock, as a cool, breezy, slacker stroll into Britpop history. Irie indeed. Shaun Ryder's lyrics – 'My wife's lactating, I'm spectating, it's a football thing' – are surreally bonkers.
