KUALA LUMPUR: England's preparations for the World Cup have been thrown into disarray after boots and training equipment were stolen from a van transporting the squad's belongings from Florida to their Kansas City base, The Sun reported.
KUALA LUMPUR: England's preparations for the World Cup have been thrown into disarray after boots and training equipment were stolen from a van transporting the squad's belongings from Florida to their Kansas City base, The Sun reported. Footballs, analysis equipment, Thomas Tuchel's tactical whiteboards and massage tables were among the items taken during the transit from West Palm Beach to Swope Soccer Village, in what has been described as a "huge heist". England had used Florida as their pre-tournament training base, where they defeated New Zealand, Costa Rica and local outfit Miami United in warm-up matches ahead of the tournament. The squad flew to their team hotel in Kansas City on Saturday morning and were scheduled to train in the afternoon, with their equipment sent ahead by road. The Daily Mail reported that England staff are scrambling to source replacement boots for key players, with only one football said to have remained in the load following the theft. Boots belonging to captain Harry Kane and midfielder Jude Bellingham are believed to be among the items lost, though the full extent of the losses is still being determined. Staff are said to be working to establish exactly what was taken and how the theft occurred. The incident comes as England prepare to compete in a record-breaking tournament featuring 48 nations, with Tuchel tasked with ending a 60-year wait for the country to lift football's biggest prize. England's campaign will also unfold against the backdrop of what is expected to be the final World Cup appearances of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. © New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
