Inside England squad’s bizarre life at Euro 2024 – from Ed Sheeran gigs to cringe personalised pillows and goodie bags
THE pressure may be on for the Three Lions on the pitch, but once the final whistle has blown the team behind the players is making sure they have the perfect environment to relax and recover.
The England team is staying at the swanky five-star Spa & Golf Resort Weimarer Land in sleepy Blankenhain for Euro 2024.
On Monday, they were joined by Ed Sheeran, who treated the team to an impromptu performance to celebrate their win against Slovakia, which took them into the quarter-finals.
England fan Ed has been in Germany supporting his team and was spotted in the stands celebrating Jude Bellingham’s winning goal.
As the team prepares for their next match against Switzerland, every effort has been made to make the base camp a home-from-home for Harry Kane and co.
Manager Gareth Southgate and his staff have ensured the hotel is full of personal touches to ensure homesickness or boredom doesn’t impact the players’ performance on the pitch.
In every player’s room, there are photo collages of their families and pets, along with inspirational notes from their nearest and dearest telling them how proud they are of them for representing their country.
Attention to detail is second to none and even the hotel’s sofas have had a cringe makeover – decorated with cushions printed with the faces of their loved ones, according to the Telegraph.
And instead of the customary solitary chocolate on their pillows at bedtime, Southgate’s team each have an individually selected goodie bag with their favourite sweets and treats.
The hotel even smells like home too, with specific scents imported from England’s UK base, George’s Park, to Germany.
The resort’s corridors feature the same ‘signature’ scent used at England’s headquarters – a “fresh, comforting aroma that is distinguishable and lets you know you’re in a high-end space,” with notes of bergamot, lily, and jasmine.
There is a different, more energising fragrance for the gym and recreation areas, while a lavender-based aroma will be used in bedrooms to create a relaxing and sleep-friendly atmosphere at night.
Pools, darts… and Harry Potter Lego
The £300-a-night resort has everything to keep the players entertained in their downtime – two 18 hole golf courses, a luxury spa, saunas, swimming pools, and a a football pitch.
There’s also a basketball court and a padel court, dart board, pool table and cinema room – meaning they will certainly have no excuses to be bored.
And as Gareth Southgate has allowed the players’ wives and families to come to the resort after each match to give them much-needed family time, there are plenty of activities for the WAGs and children to enjoy.
Declan Rice posted a picture of himself and Eberechi Eze enjoying a game of padel, the world’s fastest-growing racquet sport. Padel is a cross between tennis and squash.
The team have been mountain-biking around the hotel’s extensive grounds to flush out their legs in between games.
But Newcastle star Anthony Gordon came a cropper last week when he fell off his bike whilst trying to film himself cycling, suffering gashes to his face, hands and arms.
Another less risky activity keeping the players busy is Lego, with Lewis Dunk building a 6,000-piece Harry Potter castle with the team masseuse.
The Brighton captain said: “It’s going to be Hogwarts. It’s not just me. Me and Ben the masseuse, we’re working on it.
“To be fair, he has done more than me so far. He’s loving it. I’ve done a little bit. I’m just glad my kids ain’t here to smash it up!”
In the evening the team can relax around fire pits over-looking one of the resort’s luxury swimming pools.
And all the players have been spotted getting competitive over games of darts and pool.
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And Jude Bellingham revealed his new goal celebration was inspired by the card game Werewolf that the team plays together.
After scoring the winner in England’s first match against Serbia, Bellingham unveiled a new celebration with Trent Alexander-Arnold where they both fell to one knee and covered their faces with outstretched hands.
He later explained the inspiration behind it was a backroom game of cards, saying: “The celebration was from a game we play called wolf and one of the staff always holds his face like that when he doesn’t know what’s going on.
“So it was more a celebration for the backroom staff who put in so much work every day and they won’t receive any awards like this or get to have the moments we get to have on the pitch.
“But we value them so much and it’s important going through the tournament that we keep that atmosphere.”
England's five-point penalty shootout plan
EXPERT football psychologist Professor Geir Jordet has told Gareth Southgate and his players what they can do to give themselves the best chance of victory in any shootouts.
And he has even thrown in a rogue, bold suggestion for the Three Lions manager…
1. START PLANNING LAST YEAR
“It’s about planning for the opposition’s penalty takers but also ‘how do we win the psychological game against each opponent?’
2. SMART SOUTHGATE LEADERSHIP
“Southgate will have two minutes to influence his players as effectively as possible, show he has a plan and get confidence across.”
3. DICTATE AS A TEAM
“A shootout is really a team performance. Have the goalkeeper walk with the penalty taker into the penalty area to basically create a two-versus-one against the other goalkeeper. Dominate the centre circle, support the players who missed.”
4. ‘BULLETPROOF’ INDIVIDUAL ROUTINES
“Have really good, individualised and rehearsed pre-shot routines that are bulletproof and polished so they’re more likely to be able to resist the stress and more likely to score.”
5. SHOOT YOUR SHOT
“Practise the shot itself, trying to simulate penalty shootouts in training. Even recreating 20 per cent of a Euros final penalty shootout is going to have a benefit for your performance.”
AND A JOR DROPPING IDEA…
Jordan Pickford is the No1 but Dean Henderson actually has a far better penalty record – saving 8/22 (36 per cent) compared to Pickford’s 8/62 (13 per cent).
Jordet said: “One could consider making a late substitution for a penalty shootout. I doubt that they dare to do it in case it fails and the pressure is even higher but it would be a very ballsy move.”