ENGLAND face a daunting World Cup quarter-final clash against France on Saturday night.
But ahead of their meeting with the reigning champions, the mood inside the Three Lions’ camp appears relaxed.
GettyEngland’s World Cup stars appear relaxed ahead of the quarter-final meeting with France[/caption]
GettyThere are inflatable toys to mess around with in the swimming pool[/caption]
The players were treated to a surprise gig from Robbie WilliamsPA
TikTok / @bukayosaka87Bukayo Saka has challenged his team-mates to spell out words on camera[/caption]
Defender Kyle Walker vowed he wasn’t going to “roll out the red carpet” for French superstar Kylian Mbappe, and the feeling seems to be the same throughout the camp.
The tournament top scorers appear confident that they can knock out the current holders in the heavyweight quarter-final clash on Saturday.
And away from their time working hard on the training pitch, Gareth Southgate’s stars have enjoyed playing games, and even had a surprise gig from music legend Robbie Williams.
Williams performed for the England squad at their Souq Al Wakra headquarters on Wednesday.
Many of the players have also become hooked on the card game Werewolf, which is a game of lies.
Speaking about the game, Harry Maguire said: “It’s a good game for us. We sit in a tent at night and we get all the lads together.
“Sometimes we get 16 to 18 players together so I think it’s just a really good game to get the lads out of the rooms and keep us together and there’s been a lot of socialising going off playing this game.
“It’s been really beneficial, to be honest.”
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Just like the Euros last year, the inflatables are back for messing around with in the swimming pool.
While Bukayo Saka’s “spelling school” has gone viral on social media.
The forward has hilariously filmed his team-mates trying, and often failing, to spell out tricky words on camera.
Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford, Declan Rice and James Maddison have all hilariously fallen victim to Saka’s spelling tests.
Rice and Grealish also enjoyed some downtime by the pool playing keepie-uppies following the 3-0 last-16 win over Senegal.
Elsewhere the players have enjoyed yoga, and have been able to chill out and watch the late games, which kick off at 10pm local time, in massage areas at the hotel.
Southgate gave his players the day off on Tuesday and the squad went into Doha to see their families at their hotels.
England’s base is 15 miles south of Doha and close to Al Wakra beach, another place they have met friends and family.
The Souq Al Wakra hotel is also just a five minute coach journey from the sports club where they are training.
The hotel itself is just one single story with the players staying in separate lodges, giving it more of a village feel.
And Southgate will be hoping everything can come together on Saturday night, when his side have the chance to send the current champions packing.
GettyEngland are based 15 miles south of Doha, the capital of Qatar[/caption]
GettyThe hotel is a short drive from the sports centre where they are training[/caption]
GettyDeclan Rice and Jack Grealish enjoyed a game of keepie-uppies by the swimming pool[/caption]
GettyGrealish and Rice effortlessly pinged the ball to each other across the water[/caption]
GettyRice finished with a header as he jumped into the pool[/caption] Read More