The funniest ‘It’s Coming Home’ memes

One of the pleasures of being a sport fan in the 21st century is the whirlwind of memes which surround each tournament - and none more so than the World Cup.

For England fans, one viral gag has come to define Russia 2018 - unexpected appearances of It’s Coming Home, the Lightning Seeds/Baddiel and Skinner Euro 1996 anthem, which has mutated into an all-purpose byword for England’s footballing ambitions.

Fans have been stretching their creativity by re-editing familiar scenes from TV and film to include a surprise rendition of the song.

So who’s “coming home” in the funniest mash-ups doing the rounds?

Marcel from Friends

Friends fans will remember that Ross’ pet monkey, Marcel, was obsessed with the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Well, not any more…

Del Boy Trotter

Del Boy is on hand to give Gareth Southgate a few words of encouragement in this clever re-edit of Only Fools and Horses:

Neo from The Matrix

One of the more cerebral football memes you’re likely to see, this take on the red pill/blue pill scene in The Matrix takes aim at England fans’ decades of disappointed dreams:

Vladimir Putin

As well as his flair for hard-nosed realpolitik, the Russian president is also a dab hand on the old Joanna - giving one clever England fan a golden opportunity:

Shrek

Not only is this patriotically-reworked version of the clockwork chorus scene from Shrek brilliantly done, the green ogre’s underwhelmed reaction speaks for Scots everywhere:

Jordan Belfort in Wolf of Wall Street

On the opposite end of the scale, this redub of a scene from the Martin Scorsese biopic of fast-living stockbroker Jordan Belfort is all the more hilarious for its lack of finnesse:

The inmates of Shawshank State Penitentiary

This one was almost too easy: