The World Cup is underway, and England will kick off their campaign against Croatia next Wednesday - but the Three Lions' preparations were derailed by a heist of the team's equipment
England’s World Cup preparations have been dealt another blow as equipment was stolen before their first training session in Kansas City. The World Cup is finally underway, with the tournament’s opening game taking place on Thursday as co-hosts Mexico clinched a 2-0 win over South Africa in a contest which saw a staggering three red cards. Thomas Tuchel’s team will not play their first game until next week, but robbers proved to be the latest incident to disrupt the Three Lions’ pre-tournament buildup . Before their first training session since arriving in the United States, England — who are widely considered one of the tournament’s favorites — had cleats stolen from the team. The theft took place while the load was en route from West Palm Beach in Florida to England’s Swope Soccer Village base in Missouri. It comes after controversy erupted in the very first game of the tournament. Ahead of their first practice on Saturday, England have had training balls and other essential equipment stolen. Star players’ boots, including those that belong to Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, have also been swiped. In fact, of all the equipment traveling to their base, only one football reportedly remained among the cargo. Security staff are believed to suspect that the delivery drivers entrusted with the cargo. The FA is currently speaking with local authorities to see if there are any leads or any other way to recover the stolen goods. England had enjoyed a pre-tournament training camp in Florida, defeating New Zealand and Costa Rica before heading to Kansas City. But the coaching staff had packed all essential training gear for the journey, including Tuchel’s analysis equipment and whiteboards. Even the conditioning staff’s massage tables were out for delivery. To listen to the latest episode of 'All Out Soccer' - CLICK HERE However, the robbery threatens to derail England’s preparations for their World Cup opener versus Croatia. Staff are desperately looking to recover or replace crucial items before their campaign gets underway. This is the latest concern to keep the England group on their toes ahead of the World Cup. Last week, in the early hours of Saturday morning, a shooting occurred on Troos Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri — just a short drive away from the English national team's World Cup training base. Tuchel’s team is set to train at Swope Soccer Village, home of MLS side Sporting Kansas City's reserve team and academy, which is just a few miles away. Local officers arrived on the scene to find a large crowd scattering after hearing gunfire, and nine adults were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Fans will hope Kane and Bellingham can replace their cleats, while Tuchel and other affected members of staff can replace any key pieces of equipment. England’s first game is a clash with Croatia — a rematch of the 2018 World Cup semifinal in Russia — at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, June 17.
