Why do England fans sing the song Sweet Caroline?

The song Sweet Caroline, written more than 50 years ago by singer Neil Diamond, has become the unofficial anthem of the England football team.

Fans in the stands have been joined by the players on the pitch in belting out the song, which was first heard during England's successful run to the Euro 2020 final last summer.

It's now being blasted out of stadium speakers again as England have made history winning the 2022 Euros.

So how did Sweet Caroline, first released by an American rock star in 1969, suddenly become an England football song?

Singer Neil Diamond released the song Sweet Caroline in 1969

Paul Carr, a professor in popular music analysis at the University of South Wales, wrote an article about what makes a great tournament anthem. He says: "The big thing is simplicity of the melody, and there's something in the lyrics."

The song's lyrics include the phrases "Good times never felt so good" and "Reaching out, touching me, touching you", before the build-up to the chorus and the words "Sweet Caroline, ba, ba, baa!"

Neil Diamond said he was "thrilled" to learn that England fans had started singing his song

Neil Diamond has said he actually wrote the love song about his then-wife Marcia, but her name didn't fit the tune. So he changed it to 'Caroline', apparently after seeing a magazine cover with Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of US president John F Kennedy, featured on its cover.

After learning that England fans had adopted the song during last year's tournament, the singer said that he was "thrilled".

As for when the Sweet Caroline craze actually started at football matches: Arsenal played it after their 2017 FA Cup semi-final victory, and it has been claimed by fans of Aston Villa. It's also been used during other British sporting events such as cricket, rugby league and boxing.

Pop songs at football matches

It isn't the first pop song to echo around a sport stadium. Liverpool FC's anthem You'll Never Walk Alone was written for the hit musical Carousel, while Scotland fans have claimed the song, Yes Sir, I Can Boogie, a hit from 1977.

Three Lions, also known as the 'It's coming home' song, which was England's official anthem in Euro 1996 has made a comeback in recent tournaments, but after England's win over Germany at Euro 2020 last year, the song's co-writer Frank Skinner said: "I thought Sweet Caroline went slightly better than Three Lions in the post-match sing-song."

And as it turns out, it was after that match, that the song was played just by chance.

Wembley DJ Tony Parry said he went with his instinct to play Sweet Caroline. "I went with my gut," he says. "Even the German fans were belting it out in the end. It's a song that all fans can enjoy."

After England Women's Euros semi-final victory over Sweden - one young fan became a viral star on social media after dancing to the song.

Eight-year-old Tess, who wasn't even born when the Lionesses reached their last major final in 2009, became an overnight superstar after she was caught on camera showing her support for England, jumping and singing along to Sweet Caroline.

"I found out when Sweet Caroline finished. My mum kept getting texts from people saying, 'Tess is on telly, Tess is on telly!'" she told BBC Radio One.

"When I'm older I want to be a footballer so I was looking at how they were celebrating and thinking of how I was going to celebrate."