England's World Cup Anthem Was Born Spontaneously: "Wonderwall"

England's men's national football team did not commission an official anthem for this year's FIFA World Cup — but the answer may have been in front of everyone all along. After every match in the Three Lions' unbeaten run through the tournament, the team lines up in front of the fan stands and is greeted with one of rock history's most popular songs: Oasis's 1995 classic "Wonderwall."

After eliminating Norway in the quarterfinal on July 11 at Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens, Harry Kane and his teammates sang the song once more with fans before leaving the pitch. Footage from the celebration quickly went viral on social media; images of tens of thousands of English fans singing the line "and after all, you're my wonderwall" in unison were carried by Getty Images and other news agencies.

Exactly how the tradition started isn't entirely clear, but fan sections reportedly favored the song from the tournament's group stage onward. Written by Noel Gallagher and featured on Oasis's second album, '(What's the Story) Morning Glory?,' "Wonderwall" was already a Britpop icon and an inseparable part of English football culture. That popularity wave, coinciding with Oasis's reunion tour this summer, is giving the song a second wind.

The national team's semifinal match is set for next week; football will determine whether English fans get to sing "Wonderwall" once more.