Euro 2024 – Prince William gives England team a royal send-off before Southgate’s 26 hopefuls jet off to Germany
PRINCE William has given the England team a royal send-off before Gareth Southgate’s 26 hopefuls jet off to Germany for the Euros.
Wills, who is President of the FA, wished the squad good luck as they left St George’s Park for their Euros base.
Prince William meeting England manager Gareth Southgate this morning
GettyPrince William with England skipper Harry Kane[/caption]
PA:Press AssociationThe prince chatting with Three Lions gaffer Southgate[/caption]
Prince William arrived at the base this morning
The Prince of Wales chatted to Three Lions boss Southgate before presenting shirts to each of the squad members.
William told the players how his children had offered them a hilarious piece of advice.
He said: “I was on the school run this morning with the children and I asked them what I should say to you today.
“The best bit of advice I got to ask you was to eat twice as much as you normally eat.
“I don’t have visions of all of you running around with massive red tummies and getting stitches on the pitch.
“So I think maybe take my youngest’s kind of advice with a pinch of salt.”
Schools from across the Midlands have also been invited to St George’s Park to attend a festival of football during which schoolchildren will play friendly fixtures against each other.
William attended England‘s games in Euro 2020, which took place in Euro 2021 due to Covid, but gave the Qatar World Cup a miss.
Back home, pubs are stocking up for a summer soccer spectacular as the nation stands ready to roar on our boys.
England arrive among the favourites but Southgate will be praying for a return to form after Friday’s dismal Wembley send-off when they lost 1-0 to Iceland.
Their remote but luxurious base set in 350 acres of glorious countryside – with three golf courses and a spa – is seen as the best soccer HQ of any Euros team.
Southgate will start putting players through their paces on the hotel’s own Wembley-quality training pitch tomorrow as the team gears up for Sunday curtain raiser against Serbia.
The team’s hotel is near the central German town of Blankenhain – and civic officials were due to hand every player “welcome bags” containing wine, crackers – and dumpling broth.
Germany‘s national team had training at the hotel before England’s arrival.
Bayern Munich star Thomas Müller was revealed to have left a note for club teammate Harry Kane.
The message was said to have wished the Three Lions striker “all the best” adding “great conditions, very friendly people – and sometimes it even rains”.
