Scouting For Girls frontman Roy Stride has said he feels “smug” about the England team’s successful run in the World Cup, following the release of their unofficial football single.
The group recently released the “fun, upbeat, cheeky and summery” single England I Still Believe, which expresses their hopes for the team and aims to unite the nation with the squad’s campaign in Russia.
The indie band’s lead singer Stride, an avid football fan, told the Press Association: “I am at least hoping for a chart position if England win the World Cup.”
He said that he would “love it to be the case” that the team are performing so well because of the track.
“Everyone is so excited, and I am feeling really smug at the moment, because this is why we did the song,” he said.
“I felt we had a really good chance and I thought it could be a real magic summer, and it literally doesn’t get better than this.
“England are into the next round, Germany are out, we’ve had a week of complete sunshine, this is what memories are made of.”
He joked: “I’m taking full credit for the success.”
Stride said that, despite years of fans feeling perhaps dogged about England’s chances, he is “the eternal optimist”.
“I always think we’re going to win, but this time, I really do feel good about it,” he said.
While he and his bandmates are hopeful for their song to do well along with England, Stride said he still considers Three Lions by The Lightning Seeds with David Baddiel and Frank Skinner to be the best football anthem.
“I think that is the anthem, it’s such an amazing tune,” he said, admitting that he does not think anything will top it in the near future.
His hopes are high for the current team and how they will fare throughout the tournament.
I STILL BELIEVE
— Scouting For Girls (@Scouting4Girls) June 24, 2018
“They’re playing really well, they’re playing like a team, which I think previous England (line-ups) in the last 10 years… they looked like people who have come from different clubs and were just put together, whereas Southgate’s got them working really well as a team,” he said.
“They’re all young and look pleased to be there, and are excited for each other. Sometimes it’s quite hard to have any sympathy or love for professional footballers, but with this group of men, you’re just really rooting for them to do well.”
Stride previously likened the national team to an ex-girlfriend who still tugs on the heartstrings, a sentiment expressed in Scouting For Girls’s new song, which began life as a conversation in a pub following a game of five-a-side football.
The Brit-nominated band, made up of Stride, Greg Churchouse and Pete Ellard, will be touring a range of festivals around the UK this summer.
The band is known for hits including She’s So Lovely, This Ain’t A Love Song and Elvis Ain’t Dead.