We think they're in on the joke...
But still, this is quite a lot of trouble to go to for the sake of a gag, however knowing it may be.
England officially kick off their 2018 World Cup campaign against Tunisia on Monday.
It's the Three Lions versus the Eagles of Carthage in a battle for global supremacy that definitely won't disappoint and result in a nervy 1-0 triumph following a VAR-awarded late Harry Kane penalty.
Look it's become something of a tradition in Ireland to cheer on England's expected collapse in major football tournaments, but there is something likeable about this bunch, no?
Gareth Southgate seems a gentleman, and his handling of journalists and expectations is admirable.
Raheem Sterling has been targeted by
an increasingly heinous media campaign, so it'd be nice to see him stick two fingers up to his critics with the odd goal or three.
Marcus Rashford, meanwhile, is one of the most exciting young players in world football right now.
All that said, it's still utterly hilarious when the inevitable happens and England get walloped by Germany or somehow contrive to slip on a banana skin midway through proceedings.
And besides, they really, really,
really don't make it easy.
Think back to Eamon Dunphy reading the late, great Bill O'Herlihy a terribly overwritten newspaper piece hyping up England's chances before the 2010 World Cup, and the pair of them bursting out laughing at how silly and over-the-top it all was.
And now, in 2018...
https://twitter.com/BBCSport/status/1008725522908635137
Yep, shortly before Monday evening's group opener, BBC Sport has gotten in on the act with a short film that celebrates England's heroes having apparently gone and bloody won the whole thing.
Danny Dyer, Theresa May, familiar newsreaders, poorly Photoshopped front pages, and that guy from the Lightning Seeds are all there above, cheering on a nightmarish new world in which England have once again more World Cup glory.
They
couldn't, though, could they?
