Gary Lineker has issued a ban to BBC's pundits during the Euro 2024 final (Image: Getty)
Gary Lineker says he is banning the BBC’s pundits from saying “it’s coming home” as England prepare for their first major tournament final on foreign soil. The former England captain is keen to avoid tempting fate and will tell his Euro 2024 guests on Sunday night not to repeat the phrase.
Lyrics from the Lightning Seeds’ 1996 single Three Lions have punctuated England’s tournament campaigns over the last three decades. However, Lineker associates them with bad luck and will ban the likes of Alan Shearer and Micah Richards from claiming “it’s coming home”.
The 63-year-old will front the BBC’s coverage of the final, in which England face Spain. In an interview with the broadcaster, he was asked if football was coming home.
"I'm banning that statement," responded Lineker. "It's been bad luck for so long."
Lineker believes that Sunday’s final will be ‘tough’ for England. However, he points out that the ghosts of the Euro 2020 final defeat against Italy are there to be exorcised.
"I think it's hugely significant for English football,” the former Everton, Barcelona and Tottenham striker continued.
"They were in a final, they were in the last final of the Euros, of course, and that was at Wembley, and that ended up in huge disappointment.
"This is going to be tough, it's going to be difficult, but they're on the brink of history. No English team in football has ever won a major tournament abroad."
Ollie Watkins’s dramatic last-minute strike against the Netherlands sealed England’s place in successive European Championship finals. The Three Lions received strong criticism - including from BBC stars Lineker and Shearer - for their performances earlier in the tournament.
Ollie Watkins stunned the Netherlands to put England into the Euro 2024 final (Image: Getty)
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The display in the 2-1 victory over the Dutch on Wednesday was England’s best of the competition. Manager Gareth Southgate has admitted that the expectation to go deep into the Euros initially took its toll on his squad.
"One of our strengths over the years has been having less fear, showing less inhibition," he said.
"But at the beginning of the tournament the expectation weighed heavily and the noise from outside had never been louder."
England will face a strong Spain team in Berlin. Luis de la Fuente’s side have knocked out tournament favourites Germany and France on their way to the showdown, having been placed in a harder half of the draw.
