Sean Carrington, a 36-year-old roofer from Wigan, spent £550 on a large tattoo proclaiming England as the 2026 World Cup winners. He originally commissioned the piece following the team’s victory over DR Congo in the round of 32. However, after Argentina defeated England in the semi-finals, Carrington returned to the Holy Trinity Tattoo Studio in Standish to amend his ink.
He opted to add the words ‘Just joking!’ to the bottom of the original design. Carrington expressed that he holds no regrets regarding his initial decision and remains unfazed by the outcome, stating that he is more disappointed in England’s elimination than the permanence of the tattoo on his leg. He described the process of adding the follow-up text as pain-free and noted that he remains open to future football-themed body art if inspiration strikes.
