You know the song — there are enough English ex-pats in Australia for almost everyone to have heard the country’s fan anthem.
And no matter who you ask here in North America — players, punters, or pundits — they believe football is coming home.
They have been here before, the sense of unbridled hope, only to be cruelly crushed in the most heartbreaking of circumstances.
But there is a feeling this time is different. Their star striker is in world-beating form, their German manager is making big calls that are paying off, and the support cast is ready to shed the underachievers tag.
The Three Lions’ campaign finally gets underway against Croatia in Dallas on Thursday morning AEST, almost a week after the tournament kicked off.
And very quickly, they will discover whether their optimism is justified, or whether those ever-ready knives will come out.
Kane in world-beating form
Harry Kane, 32, is a driving force behind England’s favouritism for this tournament, alongside the likes of France, Spain, and Argentina.
The star striker and captain is in career-best form, coming off the back of 61 goals for Bayern Munich last season, the most of any player in Europe’s top five leagues.
Harry Kane will wear the captain’s armband at the World Cup. (Getty Images/FA: Eddie Keogh)
“Throughout a career, you need a lot of things to go your way and fall into place at the right time, and I feel like it has for this tournament, so for sure it’s one of the best opportunities we will have as a team to win it,” Kane said.
Izzy Christiansen is a former member of the England women’s team and a pundit with Sky Sports UK, and believes England’s success will hinge on Kane.
“I think if I could put a pin on how England are going to play, it’s how can England get runners off Harry Kane and be dynamic in the way that they attack,” she told ABC Sport Daily.
“You give the ball to Harry Kane inside the six-yard box, he will score. And I don’t think there’s many better in the world as him in those areas of the pitch when it comes to finishing, and it’s the hardest part of football.
“[He] manages the expectation of the nation really well. He’s got such a unique mindset. And I think that at the helm of the team, along with Tuchel’s tactical expertise and his ability to get the best out of the group, is where England are at right now.
“It’s just a question of can they do it?”
Tuchel’s time
Kane is the main man on the pitch, and manager Thomas Tuchel is the conductor off it.
When he took over 18 months ago, the reaction was divided amongst the fiercely patriotic footballing public and media.
Not because of his pedigree, his tactics, or ability.
Thomas Tuchel spoke to reporters on the eve of England’s opening match, (Getty Images/FIFA: Tullio Puglia)
Mainly, it was because a German manager was tasked with the prestigious role of guiding the Three Lions.
He was only the third foreign coach to lead the side, magnified by the country’s deep-rooted rivalry with Germany.
There have been speed bumps along the way.
Notably, he called star player Jude Bellingham’s on-field behaviour “repulsive” after a friendly defeat last year. He later apologised but also left the Real Madrid midfielder out of previous squads on occasion.
Tuchel has not been affected by favouritism or sentiment, omitting players like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harry Maguire, and Cole Palmer for this tournament, while including 35-year-old Jordan Henderson for his leadership attributes.
And he comes to North America unbothered by outside noise, unwilling to pander, but with anvils sitting on each shoulder, ready to flatten him should England misstep.
“I’m grateful [this job] comes with responsibility,” Tuchel said.
“I want to live up to this responsibility and push the team, prepare the team, support the players to the very best, and of course, we dream; I think we have a right to dream, but we don’t want to be delusional.
“We want to put the effort in and then deserve the outcome.”
Christiansen says the bar has been set high for Tuchel.
“The expectation lies very simply with he needs to win the World Cup with England. And that is what the FA expect. That’s what the FA want. And that’s what every fan wants,” she said.
“It feels like we’re a bird on the edge of the branch waiting to fly. I feel like that’s where this England team are at right now under Tuchel.”
England fans frothing
The hype machine is in overdrive, and the players understand the extra pressures brought on by the football-loving public.
“[The fans] just want to see us win a tournament, of course,” forward Marcus Rashford said.
“They also know we’re capable, we’re a team that has developed and come on over the last few years, but I still believe that we’re an underperforming team and that’s our mentality going into this.”
England fans are making their presence felt in Dallas. (Getty Images/PA: Martin Rickett)
Kane is doing his best to absorb the pressure while enjoying the moment.
“I remember being young and singing those songs, watching the games, believing it was our time to win a World Cup, to win a championship. So I want the fans to have that excitement, whether they’re here or back home,” he said.
It is estimated that around 10,000 fans have travelled to North America for the tournament, and those in Dallas are taking Kane’s words to heart.
“This is our year. Because I picked to come the whole way with England. It’s going to happen, I know it,” fan Danny said.
Another fan, Jo, was just as emphatic.
“Of course it’s coming home. You have to believe.”
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