The European Commission has claimed victory for the EU in the 2018 World Cup ahead of the football competition’s semi-finals this week.

A spokesperson for EC President Jean-Claude Juncker told journalists at a press conference in Brussels that because all the remaining teams in the tournament were members of the bloc, it was inevitable that “football is staying home in the European Union”.

The claim was a wry reference to the “Football’s Coming Home” refrain in “Three Lions”, a song about the England team popular with its supporters that references the birthplace of the game.

EU teams have won the competition every year it has been held since 2006, when the FIFA trophy was won by Italy on a penalty shoot-out against France following a 1-1 draw.

Spain, also an EU member state, won the competition in 2010, beating another EU team France 1-0 in Johannesburg – while Germany triumphed by the same score over Argentina in 2014.

“Good luck to Belgium, Croatia, England and France who are the four EU semi-finalists,” Margaritis Schinas, the Commission president’s chief spokesperson told journalists during a briefing at the bloc’s headquarters in Brussels.

“May the best team win. Football is staying home in the European Union where the trophy has been, as you know, since 2006.”

Football is staying home in the European Union EU Commission spokesperson

After referencing the popular England football song the spokesperson immediately moved to take questions from journalists about Brexit.

Of the remaining teams in the 2018 World Cup, France and Belgium are founding members of the bloc, while the United Kingdom joined the then EEC in 1973. Croatia is the bloc’s most recent addition, becoming a member only in 2013.

France will face Belgium on Tuesday evening, while Croatia take on England on Wednesday. The winners of the two games will face off against each other in a final this Sunday 15 July.