England’s Footballers Touch Down in Germany with Royal Fanfare

Prince William, the President of the Football Association, paid a visit to England’s Euro 2024 squad at St George’s Park in Burton-upon-Trent, offering words of encouragement and presenting each player with a shirt. The team was preparing to depart for Germany, where they will face Serbia, Denmark, and Slovenia in Group C.

The prince, an Aston Villa fan, shared a humorous story about seeking advice from his six-year-old son, Prince Louis. “I was on the school run this morning, and I asked the kids what I should say to the England team,” he said.

“The best advice I got was to eat twice the amount you normally would eat.” The prince joked that he envisioned the players running around with “massive great tummies” and “loads of stitches on the pitch,” before urging them to take the advice with a grain of salt.

The event was attended by schoolchildren from the Midlands, who were invited to mark England’s departure for the tournament. Manager Gareth Southgate’s squad will depart for Germany on Monday, following a weekend off with their families.

England, the runners-up at Euro 2020, will be looking to make a strong impression in Germany, after losing their final warm-up match to Iceland. The tournament kicks off on Friday, with hosts Germany facing Scotland.