As the decades have rolled by, John Barnes has had to get used to some people recognising him as That Guy From That Football Song rather than as a Watford and Liverpool great who was part of a pioneering era for the leading black footballers in England. An incident involving a group of American students still sticks in his mind years later, though, as the most novel way he has ever been stopped in the street.
Barnes is spritely, wearing his trademark mischievous grin, as he begins to recall the story.
“I was in Leicester Square and these kids came up to me,” he tells Standard Sport. “They were Americans asking for autographs. I heard one of them as they walked off ask the others: ‘Who was that guy?’ They go: ‘He’s from those sticker albums’. They didn’t know me as a footballer; they knew me from a sticker album. I felt like chasing them and saying I was a footballer as well!”
Barnes seems tickled by the incident instead of hurt. He is speaking at an event celebrating Panini’s World Cup stickers, having featured in the Italia ’90 album — which he remembers well.
Between 1983 and 1995, Barnes scored ten goals in 79 caps for England. It was ahead of the 1990 World Cup that his fleeting music career enjoyed its cult-status climax as he produced his famous rap to New Order’s World in Motion.
“There’s no [England] song for this World Cup because of course no one does that anymore,” Barnes chuckles. “If someone had to do it… I’m looking at the squad.”
There is a pause as potential candidates in Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man squad who might step up to the mic are considered and swiftly rejected one by one. “Jack Grealish is someone who looks like he would have a laugh making a song, but he’s not in the squad. I don’t see any big singers! Give me any of the names and I don’t think they have the personality.
“Footballers don’t go out on the karaoke anymore. It’s not like that. Maybe they have the ability. Maybe Marcus Rashford can spit a few beats, or Morgan Rogers. Apart from Jack, I don’t see someone light-hearted enough to do another song for the World Cup. Those days are gone.”
And so are the days of 32-team World Cup. There are 48 involved in the competition this summer in the United States, Canada and Mexico, growing the size of the tournament but not doing much to change the cluster of teams seen by many as the favourites to lift the trophy.
“If you look at the way the World Cup is now, in terms of the seedings and the way the tournament is structured, the top teams should go through,” Barnes explains to Standard Sport. “It is meant for that. As they’ve proven in the last couple of tournaments, England should be getting to the latter stages.
“Then, of course, if you get France or Spain in the next round, you could beat them, they could beat you. Even in the heat, because it’s the same for everybody. And they’ve still got good players.
“So England should be looking to get to the quarters, semis or final — as I’m sure they will.
“I think France are the World Cup favourites. They’re a strong team with good players — and not just in attack. They’re strong defensively and have a good midfield.
“France or Spain would be the two. England in the main four. But France are the strongest team.”
