As England sailed through the World Cup quarter-finals last night, one very unusual England fan was spotted on what is known as “London’s most patriotic estate”
Few things bring people together quite like football, and the whole nation erupted in jubilation as Harry Kane and his teammates delivered a sensational victory over Mexico last night. Pubs remained open until 5am as two goals from Jude Bellingham in as many minutes, followed by a third from Harry Kane, propelled England to a thrilling 3-2 triumph, despite Mexico playing on home turf.
And surely some of the loudest celebrations must have been on on what has been dubbed “London’s most patriotic estate“. The Kirby Estate in southeast London is renowned for its spectacular display of St George’s Cross flags adorning windows, gates, balconies, and lampposts, alongside vibrant murals honouring some of England’s sporting heroes.
It appears this fierce patriotic spirit has even drawn some rather unexpected admirers from further afield. A TikTok video posted by the account @kirbyestate – which regularly showcases the estate’s vibrant displays and strong community spirit – revealed a truly extraordinary visitor had dropped by ahead of the match.
The clip features a Dalek draped in an England flag, belting out the iconic chorus of the beloved 1996 anthem Three Lions in its spine-tingling robotic voice, reports the Express.
The footage is set to the unmistakable Doctor Who theme music, and displays the overlaid caption: “Just when you think you’ve seen it all on here.”
The person recording the clip can be heard chuckling and remarking “that’s amazing”, before the red and gold extraterrestrial appears in front of a wall painting of England midfielder Eberechi Eze, who grew up near the estate, repeating the famous “it’s coming home” chorus.
It is also spotted wearing a replica of the Jules Rimet trophy atop its dome, before the footage concludes with the Dalek attempting a strike at goal, nudging the ball beyond the young goalkeeper and into the net. A message across the sequence states: “Keeper should have done better!!”
The Daleks are among the most recognisable villains in television history, making their debut in Doctor Who all the way back in 1963.
The menacing aliens with their distinctive pepper pot-style appearance and piercing war cry of “Exterminate!” have become a symbol of British telly, and have consistently returned to challenge The Doctor throughout the last six decades.
That said, they’re more commonly observed attempting to dominate the universe rather than backing the Three Lions – but at least they’ve got good taste.
Three Lions, penned by comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner, and performed by Brit-pop icons the Lightning Seeds, was initially launched prior to the Euro 1996 tournament.
The refrain of “It’s coming home” has subsequently become a popular rallying cry as England compete on the pitch.
England return to the pitch on Saturday evening, travelling to Miami for their quarter-final clash against Norway, with kick-off scheduled for 10pm GMT. Live coverage will be available on ITV1 and ITVX.
Norway are expected to present a formidable challenge, with superstar forward Erling Haaland poised to test England’s ambitions of reaching the semi-finals.
