People are just realising the lions on England badge ‘aren’t actually lions’

All of it explained

While we prepare ourselves for this huge match, what many people don’t know is the rich story of the emblem of the England football team.

The English FA’s crest, which dates back to 1863, features three lions one on top of the other vertically and speaks of strength and unity as a symbol.

It has been the official badge of England since the very first fixture in 1872 against Scotland.

The origin of the three lions in the badge and what it means

While they weren’t the emblem of the dynastic house, the lions originate from the Norman conquests.

Where the three lions grew was from the union of the use of the lion symbol with King Henry I, Geoffrey Plantagenet and King Henry II, as they all opted for a lion on their crests.

The three lions were eventually combined as King Richard I’s official royal symbol and became the royal seal of the house Plantagenet in the 12th century under “Richard the Lion Heart”, remaining a Royal symbol to this day.

There is also an alternative theory to why Richard opted for three lions: he simply wanted to show off that as well as being King of England, he was also lord and master of the Dukedom of Normandy and Aquitaine.

The symbol of Normandy is two lions, and the symbol of Aquitaine one lion, which would account for three.

The lions could have been leopards

The lions technically are leopards, as in Medieval heraldry, including the lions on the England team shirt, lions that are lying down are called leopards.

On the other hand, the ones rearing or rampant are called lions.

This was because medieval heraldry couldn't tell the difference between lions and leopards and used the terms to differentiate between the different images.

Why there are roses as well as three lions on the England shirt

Another very English emblem is present on the England football team’s shirts, which is a smattering of ten Tudor roses.

This was the propaganda device that symbolises Henry VII uniting the house of Lancaster and the house of York by marrying Edward IV's daughter Elizabeth of York after the Wars of the Roses.