England fans chanting "Football's coming home" at major tournaments is nothing new. It became the anthem for an entire nation the moment it was released by David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and the Lightning Seeds, ahead of the 1996 European Championship on home soil.
But most of the time, it's been sung in hope rather than expectation. For so long, the Three Lions have fallen short on the biggest stage, despite being blessed with a host of great players across several different generations. And so the supporters got used to disappointment. Few serious football people really dared to dream when England arrived at major tournaments.
Gareth Southgate, the man who missed the decisive penalty in England's semi-final shootout loss to Germany in '96, has changed all that. When the iconic chant started reverberating around Borussia Dortmund's iconic Westfalenstadion on Wednesday night, there was an undertone of genuine belief.
It wasn't pretty, but England outbattled, and ultimately outfoxed the Netherlands to progress to a second successive Euros showpiece. Southgate has been ridiculed, pelted with cups, and completely written off en route; always facing up to the vitriol with dignity and unwavering resolve. And now, putting his obvious limitations as a coach aside, he's just one game away from getting the reward he deserves.