A football fan with an England “Euro Winners” tattoo does not intend to cover it up and said he “still loves” the permanent ink, despite the Three Lions defeat.
Dan Thomas, 29, from Swindon, Wiltshire, received a tattoo of the Henri Delaunay Cup and the words “England Euro 2024 Winners” on his left leg days before the final, but does not intend to cover it up even after England’s 2-1 loss against Spain in the Euros final.
England’s wait for a first major men’s trophy since 1966 goes on after substitute Mikel Oyarzabal struck at the death as Spain inflicted a second successive European Championship final defeat on Gareth Southgate’s side.
Mr Thomas remains confident the Three Lions will become winners at the next tournament in 2028 and plans potentially to alter his tattoo in four years.
“We came close, I don’t regret the tattoo,” the data consultant told the PA news agency moments after the Euro final.
“If anything, I don’t think it’d be hard to change the 4 into an 8 in four years time. I won’t be covering it up. Absolutely no regrets and I still love it.”
Mr Thomas described the results of the match as “bittersweet” and praised the team for reaching the final.
“Bittersweet after the game, the result wasn’t what we wanted, but a great achievement to reach yet another final,” he said.
“It’s only a matter of time before we win something.
“I think England played well. I’d say (Marc) Guehi was the stand-out player in the match, however (Kobbie) Mainoo has made the difference over the course of the tournament.”
He has urged other England fans to get their own tattoos to show their support for the Three Lions ahead of the next Euros.
“I don’t really tend to look at the comments on my tattoo. Other people’s opinions don’t phase me,” he said.
“I’d encourage others to do the same in following tournaments to get behind the team.”
Mr Thomas considered getting a similar tattoo in 2021 when England faced Italy in the Euro 2020 final and had hoped this year’s tattoo would help to secure Southgate’s team victory.
The confident England supporter spent two and a half hours at the Reign Barbers and Tattoos parlour in Swindon getting the sizeable tattoo of the Henri Delaunay Cup.
He livestreamed the moment he had the artwork tattooed on his leg, which received 42,000 views on TikTok.
Tattoo artist Tinashe Chikerema applied the ink to Mr Thomas’s skin, not before he “triple checked” with the data consultant if he wanted it done.
“I couldn’t believe he actually wanted the tattoo, but I triple-checked with him. Fair play to him for being so confident in the team,” Mr Chikerema told PA.
Mr Thomas’s friend, Jack Wilkinson, who owns Reign Barbers and Tattoos, did not believe Mr Thomas would go ahead with the tattoo “until the needle actually touched the skin”.
Mr Wilkinson said: “I thought it was a joke to start with, but he said he was full of confidence and wanted to be the first one to get it done before everyone else gets it done after they win.
“It still feels surreal that he actually got it done. It sums up Dan as a person. He’s quite eccentric and Mr Positive.”
