Three lions have been used as England’s football emblem since the formation of the Football Association in 1863.
England wore the badge in their first official international match against Scotland in 1872 – but the symbol has much deeper roots stretching back to the 12th century.
The animal has been associated with the Royal Family since Henry I (1100-1135) included a single lion in his coat of arms. He added another after his marriage.
His grandson, Henry II (1154-1189) added a third lion to his crest, also after getting married.
But it was only after the reign of Henry II’s son Richard I (1189-1199) that the three lions were popularised and adopted as the royal arms by every monarch.
England’s emblem was further cemented into popular culture by the 1996 song ‘Three Lions’ by comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner and The Lightning Seeds.
