A Wigan football fan looks back on prematurely getting a tattoo declaring England as World Cup winners
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A Wigan roofer who permanently declared England the 2026 World Cup champions on his skin before the tournament was over has joked he might have to get his tattoo altered.
Sean Carrington, 36, spent £550 on a tattoo of the World Cup trophy above the words "England World Cup Winner 2026", which was inked at Holy Trinity Tattoo Studio in Standish.
He got the artwork after England's 2-1 win over DR Congo in the round of 32, as he was so convinced Thomas Tuchel's side would go all the way.
But that confidence unravelled when England were beaten by Argentina in the semi-final, ending hopes of lifting the trophy.
Taking the disappointment in good humour, he has since joked that he'll add the words "just kidding" beneath the tattoo.
To help soften the blow, Sean and a friend were offered a complimentary overnight at stay at Hotel Football, Manchester's football-themed hotel.
They watched England's final game of the tournament as VIP guests at Cafe Football, where fellow supporters gathered to watch the match.
They enjoyed food and drinks, before retiring to one of the hotel's Squad Rooms for the night.
The stay gave Sean and friend the perfect football-themed escape after his tournament-ending tattoo heartbreak.
Sean said: “I’ll be honest, I thought I was going to look like a footballing genius when I got the tattoo done! Unfortunately, things didn’t quite go to plan, but I’ve had a lot of laughs about it since.
"When Hotel Football invited me and my mate for a stay, it was a brilliant surprise. We had an amazing time watching the game with other England fans, enjoying the food and drinks, and making some great memories.”
Marketing director Jessica Southworth said: "Like the rest of the country, we were gutted to see England's World Cup dream come to an end.
"When we heard Sean's story, we couldn't resist inviting him to Hotel Football. His tattoo has certainly become one of the stories of the tournament, so we wanted to give him something to smile about with a memorable football stay and the chance to watch England's final match with fellow fans."