Football might not be coming home just yet, but Lewis Holden's 'England Euro 2020 winners' tattoo is here to stay.
Sunday league footballer Lewis was so confident about England's chances of lifting the trophy, he got the ink done on his right leg three days before the final.
And despite last night's heartbreaking loss the dad-of-two, from Shaw in Oldham, is keeping the tattoo - and he's even vowed to get a matching one done on the other leg if England reach next year's World Cup final.
Lewis, 26, said; "I'm absolutely gutted, but then who isn't?
"But I'm keeping the tattoo - there's no way I'm getting rid of it."
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Going into last night's game Lewis remained supremely confident that Gareth Southgate's men would see off Italy and lift England's first major trophy in 55 years.
But when the match went to penalties Lewis admits even he began to feel the doubts creeping in.
He said: "When it went to penalties I thought 'Maybe it isn't coming home'.
"After we lost my mates were giving me some stick, saying I'm going to have to get my leg cut off!
"And no exaggeration I've had friend requests on Facebook from about 500 Italian people overnight.
"My phone literally hasn't stopped buzzing. I've no idea what they want but there's no way they're getting the time of day off me."
Despite last night's disappointment Lewis says he has no regrets about getting the tattoo done - and he's even vowed to have a matching 'England World Cup 2022 winners' done on his left leg if England get to the final next year in Qatar.
He said: "I did it for a bit a laugh with my mates.
"You see so many people being negative all the time on social media, so I just wanted to do something with a bit of positivity.
"The amount of attention it got and the buzz it created was unreal.
"This is the best England team I've seen in my lifetime and I might never see them in a final again.
"But if we do get to the final next year, I'll be down the tattoo parlour again."
