It’s not the 18th century, so why would we ask God to rescue a monarch? You don’t need to think twice about this. England’s national anthem is crap and we deserve better.
When you watch a World Cup match (or any sporting event for that matter), you’ll almost always hear a pre-game call that showcases a nation’s collective passion and pride. The England game is like watching a group of schoolchildren dragged into a church and forced to sing medieval hymns.
It’s boring. It’s swollen. It’s dull. It’s outdated. And above all, it’s time to change that.
There is no shortage of alternatives. Take Commonwealth Games athletes, for example. Gold medal winners will receive a rousing performance of Jerusalem. This song makes me really proud to be British.
The song, a musical adaptation of William Blake’s 1804 poem, talks about England’s “green and pleasant land” and the creation of a nation that could be called “Jerusalem,” short for heaven on earth.
English cricket fans will know how powerful this song is and it would be the perfect candidate for a new national anthem. And then there is the land of hope and glory. It’s a little more funky, but still emotionally moving.
It’s not just the aspect of saving God that makes people feel alienated. In 2026, are songs about the Royal Family really the best we can do? Britain is a country with a rich history, culture, countryside and community, but are we singing about a man and his family? It’s time to move on and give England, its players and fans, an anthem to be proud of.
If we change that, it could be the spark the national team needs to actually win something on the pitch.
