England fans were filmed singing '10 German Bombers' again, a chant that has followed the Three Lions around for decades like an unwanted piece of luggage nobody will throw away.
The footage circulated online and did exactly what it always does — split opinion between those who call it harmless terrace tradition and those who see it as the kind of thing that keeps English football supporters from shaking a reputation built over generations of poor behaviour abroad.
A chant with a long, ugly paper trail
This isn't new. The song, which mocks Germany's wartime losses, has been sung at England games for years and has repeatedly drawn condemnation from anti-discrimination groups, the FA, and football authorities across Europe. It resurfaces, gets condemned, disappears briefly, then resurfaces again.
The cycle is predictable enough that outrage alone clearly isn't working as a deterrent. England's fanbase has made genuine progress in many areas — the toxic tribalism of the 1980s is largely gone — but certain corners of the support seem determined to drag that progress backwards.
For the FA, this is a PR headache with no clean solution. You can't fine a crowd. You can issue statements, run campaigns, and appeal to better instincts, but if a section of supporters decides to sing it, short of banning them from tournaments, the tools available are limited.
Why it still matters
England are building genuine momentum as a footballing nation. A Euros final in 2021, a squad with real depth, and a manager who has worked hard to change the culture around the national team. Moments like this don't derail that — but they do provide ammunition to anyone looking to define England fans by their worst behaviour rather than their best.
Germany, for their part, have hosted England fans before and will again. Whether this incident draws an official response from UEFA or the German FA remains to be seen — but don't be surprised if it does.
The chant didn't start this week, and if history is any guide, this won't be the last time it's reported either.
