England captain Harry Kane and his side were suited, booted and ready for World Cup glory on Monday night.
The FA released the team photo on the eve of departure for Qatar. Gareth Southgate ’s 26-man squad lined up in their official M&S outfits prior to flying out to Doha on Tuesday.
The players, including Kane, 29, Jack Grealish, 27, Mason Mount, 23, and Kyle Walker, 32, looked relaxed as they met at St George’s Park in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson, a late addition to the squad, was greeted by Chelsea star Mount, who later laughed and joked with Grealish as the Manchester City winger gave him a shoulder rub.
Fellow City star Phil Foden, 22, and West Ham 's Declan Rice, 23, gave broad smiles as they were pictured on arrival, and later posed up in hats at a Nike Town event.
“They are all excited and ready for the off now,” said a source. “You can tell from the photos how great the team spirit is. They are raring to go.” Wales also looked relaxed as they trained in Pontyclun in the south. Jonny Williams, Aaron Ramsey and Chris Gunter were seen joking together at the vale resort ahead of their departure.
Manager Rob Page hopes his side can taken maximum points from games against Iran and USA before they meet England in the final group game.
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Wilson, 30, revealed he had written “Pack for Qatar” in his diary four months ago, as part of his positive “visualisation” to win his place on the eve of the season. “Putting the Three Lions badge on again is a proud moment for me and my family,” he told the Footballer’s Football Podcast.
“I don’t want it to just be the World Cup squad and that be it. Now the place is mine and I don’t want to give it up again. I’ve worked hard to get my place back so I’m not giving it up easily.”
And he is backing England to go one better than the Euros last summer, where they lost to Italy in the final. He added: “I think this group of players, the squad, the manager, it’s got all the ingredients of success .”
Newcastle teammate Kieran Trippier is set to be joined by his wife Charlotte and their children, son Jacob, six, and daughter Esme Rose, three, in Qatar - as long as players’ families remain Covid free.
Kieran, 32, is backing manager Southgate after he guided England to the delayed Euro 2020 final against Italy last summer and the World Cup semi-finals in Russia.
Trippier scored with a superb free kick in the heartbreaking 2-1 semi-final defeat to Croatia. “I have dreamed of going to the World Cup since I was a young boy,” he said.
“We have done so well since Gareth Southgate took charge, hopefully we can make things happen again.”
A party of the England wives and girlfriends will stay on MSC World Europa, a £1billion cruise liner.
Many will be arriving on Sunday, the day Qatar’s opening match against Ecuador. England’s first training session is on Wednesday, and our opening match against Iran is on Monday, kick off 1pm UK time.
England's World Cup squad numbers
- 1. Jordan Pickford
- 2. Kyle Walker
- 3. Luke Shaw
- 4. Declan Rice
- 5. John Stones
- 6. Harry Maguire
- 7. Jack Grealish
- 8. Jordan Henderson
- 9. Harry Kane
- 10. Raheem Sterling
- 11. Marcus Rashford
- 12. Kieran Trippier
- 13. Nick Pope
- 14. Kalvin Phillips
- 15. Eric Dier
- 16. Conor Coady
- 17. Bukayo Saka
- 18. Trent Alexander-Arnold
- 19. Mason Mount
- 20. Phil Foden
- 21. Ben White
- 22. Jude Bellingham
- 23. Aaron Ramsdale
- 24. Callum Wilson
- 25. James Maddison
- 26. Conor Gallagher
