An England fan has humorously amended his tattoo that prematurely celebrated the Three Lions as World Cup winners following their 2-1 victory over DR Congo in the round of 32. Sean Carrington, 36, invested £550 in a leg tattoo featuring the World Cup trophy and the inscription "England World Cup Winner 2026". However, his dreams of glory were dashed when Argentina defeated England 2-1 in the semi-finals.

In a lighthearted twist, Carrington returned to Holy Trinity Tattoo Studio in Standish to add the words "Just joking" beneath his original tattoo. Reflecting on the experience, he stated to the BBC, "I'm more bothered that England hasn't won the World Cup than I am to have a tattoo on my leg. It's not bothering me. It's just a tattoo."

Despite the setback, Carrington expressed no regrets about his original decision, saying he wouldn’t have done anything differently. He described the added line as "sound" and mentioned that he didn’t feel much pain during the process.

Jamie Taylor, the tattoo parlour's manager, noted that the amendment would typically cost around £100, but they chose to do it for free as a gesture of goodwill.

Holy Trinity Tattoo shared the amusing update on their Facebook page, highlighting Carrington's confidence before the tournament and his good sense of humor about the situation. After England's loss, they finished the tournament in third place, triumphing over France 6-4 in the Bronze Final in Miami.