England’s World Cup campaign hasn’t even kicked off, but their social media team already landed the first punch. On Thursday, the Three Lions’ official accounts dropped a hype video for Sunday’s Group L opener against Croatia in Dallas — and they brought in a heavy hitter from outside the sport.
The Voice Behind the Build-Up
Grime star Stormzy narrates the 90-second clip, which splices together match action, fan reactions, and a montage of English football’s most painful near-misses. The track is original, the tone is raw, and the message is unmistakable: this time feels different.
According to the English FA, Stormzy, a lifelong England supporter, recorded the audio to channel what he called ‘the energy of a country that’s tired of waiting.’ The video has already racked up more than 1.2 million views across platforms inside 24 hours.
Why Croatia?
On paper, Sunday’s fixture against Croatia is the toughest test in Group L. The two sides have a complicated recent history: Croatia knocked England out of the 2018 World Cup semifinals, and the Three Lions returned the favor with a win in the 2023 Nations League. The stakes in this tournament are even higher — England have not beaten Croatia in a World Cup group stage match since 1990.
But the video doesn’t dwell on the past. Instead, it leans into the idea that this squad, under manager Gareth Southgate (still in charge despite persistent speculation), has something the previous generations lacked: a blend of technical composure and brute physicality. Key players like Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and Declan Rice feature prominently.
Is It Coming Home?
The phrase ‘It’s coming home’ is so embedded in English football culture that it’s almost become a joke — a self-deprecating acknowledgment of decades of disappointment. Stormzy’s delivery in the video treats it as something else entirely: a promise. He growls the line over a rising bassline, cutting to a clip of a young fan holding a St George’s Cross.
England fans online have split into two camps. One group calls the video ‘peak pre-tournament hubris’ and predicts a group-stage exit. The other sees it as a rallying cry at exactly the right moment. Neither side can deny the production quality — or the timing. With the match less than 72 hours away, the FA has made sure every fan in the country knows what’s at stake.
OneFootball originally reported the video’s release, but the reaction speaks for itself. England’s tournament begins Sunday at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Stormzy won’t be on the pitch, but his voice — and that one loaded question — will be echoing in the stands.
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