Three Lions star David Baddiel has labeled Gary Barlow’s England World Cup 2014 song Greatest Day “a bit rubbish”, suggesting that re-hashing an old Take That tune is something of a cop out.

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Baddiel also reckons his own 1996 hit with Frank Skinner and The Lightning Seeds is unbeatable, telling The Sun "There's no other song fans have reacted to in the same way. It's hard for anyone else to do one as it'll be compared to Three Lions".

But we reckon Baddiel is forgetting about another England World Cup classic in the form of New Order’s 1990 number one hit World in Motion. He’s also forgetting about a weapon currently lying dormant in the England arsenal – John Barnes.

Now 50, Barnes may be a little too old to get his kit on and run at the opposition but the England man says his famous rap – which elevated the football song to a new level – remains “firmly etched in the memory” and that he'd be prepared to get back into the studio and bust those rhymes again if it would help England’s chances.

Barnes was characteristically modest when RadioTimes.com suggested he get involved in a new World Cup tune, saying "Well, there should only be one England song... you shouldn’t have too many," before adding what we were already thinking: "You can never recreate World in Motion anyway".

But when he pressed, he did say he'd be ready and willing if called upon: "Well, it could help with my street cred, definitely. Of course it would..."

And it could only help with England's chances too, John...

Vauxhall Motors sponsor the England Football Team. Visit vauxhallfootball.co.uk for competitions, news and footage of the team throughout their time in Brazil

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The World Cup 2014 kicks off in Brazil on Thursday 12 June

Authors

Paul Jones, RadioTimes.com
Paul JonesExecutive Editor, RadioTimes.com
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