England fans this afternoon turned Moscow’s Red Square red, white and blue ahead of the country’s biggest game for 28 years.
Around 10,000 supporters have been pouring into the Russian capital as Gareth Southgate’s men take on Croatia for a place in the final.
England quarter final goal hero Harry McGuire’s girlfriend Fern Hawkins was seen mingling with Three Lions fans in near the Kremlin just hours before kick off at the Luzhniki Stadium.
Boss Southgate’s wife Alison and their two children have jetted to the Russian capital for the game and Jamie Vardy’s wife Becky has been posting her support for the boys on Instagram.
Back home, captain Harry Kane’s heavily pregnant fiancee Kate Goodall told him to bring home the World Cup.
England fans have turned Moscow’s Red Square red, white and blue ahead of the World Cup semi final against Croatia, which is the country’s biggest game for 28 years
Fans dress up as knights in Moscow as they prepare to watch England play Croatia in the World Cup semi-final in more than two decades
Supporters have covered central Moscow in the flag of St George as they look forward to the Three Lions facing Croatia in Russia tonight
A topless man in Moscow screams among the crowds of singing fans as England supporters’ excitement for tonight’s game continues to build
Two fans in England shirts and one wearing Russian hat sing and chant for their Three Lions heroes ahead of what they hope will be a triumphant night ahead
Fans have flooded into Moscow as England face their first World Cup semi-final in 28 years tonight, when they face off against Croatia to find out who will play France
Fans flooded into the centre of Moscow, filling bars and singing for the eleven players they hope will take England to a World Cup final for the first time in 52 years
England supporters have packed out the streets of Moscow to wave flags and drink beer as they look ahead to the Three Lions’ match against Croatia tonight
England supporters wave a replica Jules Rimet in the stadium as anticipation builds for the match against Croatia this evening
A topless England fan shows his love for the team as supporters start to pile into the stadium that will host tonight’s semi-final against Croatia
A fan waves a flag above the crowds of cheering England supporters who hope Gareth Southgate will bring football home this year
Around 10,000 supporters – including Bruce Wright , DD Murray, Dex Marshall and Miles Rudham (pictured) – have been pouring into the Russian capital as Gareth Southgate’s men take on Croatia for a place in the final
Croatian fans fly their team’s colours as they too hope for victory in tonight’s semi-final match at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow
Those England fans like Sam Vary, 51, and his wife Lorne, 45, with their children Jaxon, 15, and Faren, 13 (pictured) – who have jetted in for the semi-final have backed Southgate’s young team to reach the nation’s first World Cup final in 52 years
Meanwhile Harry McGuire’s girlfriend Fern Hawkins (pictured) was all smiles as she walked around Red Square, Moscow, this afternoon – just hours before her man takes appears in England’s big game against Croatia
Croatian fans line the streets of Moscow as they prepare to do battle with England in tonight’s World Cup semi-final match at the Luzhniki Stadium
As excitement built and the minutes ticked down, England fans Ned Macdonald and Andy Blunden (pictured) downed pints of beer dressed in waistcoats in tribute to boss Gareth Southgate’s waistcoat from Marks & Spencer
A Croatia fan stands under a dark sky as England hopes to beat the country in the first semi-final for the Three Lions in almost three decades
England fans mingled happily with Croatia fans in Red Square ahead of the game – while at home the Duke of Cambridge Prince William caught the public mood when he said: ‘Come on England – it’s coming home!’
Those England fans who have jetted in for the semi-final have backed Southgate’s young team to reach the nation’s first World Cup final in 52 years.
Supporters showed their colours in central Moscow ahead of the semi final and said they believed the key to success was the youthful team’s work ethic and pride.
The 23-man squad, which has an average age of just over 26 and was the tournament’s third youngest, have the hopes and expectations of a nation on their shoulders.
Meanwhile in London: An orderly queue forms as supporters rushed out of work to gather at venues across the capital showing the game
Meanwhile in England: Fans back home descend on Hyde Park to witness their country’s first semi-final in more than two decades in the capital
Supporters who haven’t made it out to Moscow have hit Hyde Park to support the England squad by donning St George’s crosses and waving flags
Fans in the UK have been buying up waistcoats in tribute to Gareth Southgate after the squad’s manager has become famed for his suave style
The Duke of Cambridge, who is president of the Football Association, told the Three Lions the whole country is behind them. William said: ‘Come on England – it’s coming home!’
Among the supporters who have made the trip were father and son Joe and Andrew Settle, from Bolton, who have never travelled away with England but decided they could not miss the chance to see the national side in a World Cup semi-final.
For Joe, 62, it will be his first live England match. He said: ‘I’m hoping their (Croatia’s) luck has run out. Two penalty shootouts and they weren’t that good, they just scraped through. I think it’s our year this time.
Supporters of Croatia pose for a picture as they eagerly anticipate tonight’s showdown with England in the World Cup semi-final in Russia
Fans have been queuing outside The Duke of Edinburgh pub in South London to watch this evening’s semi-final as England face Croatia
Supporters line up outside The Duke of Edinburgh as security guards begin to let the first fans through the South London pub’s doors ready for kick off
‘There’s no out and out stars and everybody just looks at them as young lads, making their way out, they’ve not got above their station. And they’re just thinking, ‘we’ll get behind these lads’.
‘They’re not bothered about the money, they look like they are enjoying it, they want to do it and they’re proud to do it for their country.’
He predicted a 2-0 England win and said he believed the celebrations would be on a larger scale than in 1966 if England go on to win the trophy.
England fans beat a drum for their team as a St George’s Cross billows from the back of their vehicle and they toot horns for Harry Kane’s squad
Supporters bang a drum in the street as fans drape themselves in flags ahead of England’s match against Croatia in Moscow tonight
‘I remember watching 66 on TV as a little lad and going outside playing football afterwards until it was dark,’ he said.
‘It was very uplifting for the country but because there was no internet, not as much media, you didn’t actually know what was going on.
‘There were some newsreels and everybody was uplifted but this time, from every part to the country, you are going to see what’s happening – it’s going to be brilliant.’
Kate Goodall posted this throwback photo of of her man Harry Kane scoring on his debut for England against Lithuania in 2015 with the words, ‘What a long way you’ve come!’
Becky Vardy posted this photo of her kissing husband Jamie after the Sweden game on social media as she prepares for the semi final against Croatia in Moscow tonight
Becky Vardy, who is unofficial leader of the English WAGs in Russia, posted this photo as she flew to Moscow this morning ready for the game with the caption: ‘Come on England’
Jamie Vardy’s wife also posted this photo on Instagram as she gets ready to cheer on the boys
Model Lauryn Goodman, who is dating England star Marcus Rashford’s brother, is in Red Square to show her support – and says she is ‘excited’ about tonight’s big match
George Lee, 59, from Hull, also backed Southgate’s young team to get to the final, predicting a 2-1 win.
He said: ‘We thought we’d do well because you’ve got all the youngsters in now, you know there’s no superstars where they just walk about, ‘I can do what I like’.
‘They’re all young, hard-working lads. These are good kids, hopefully they will win it for us. It’s exciting times for these young fellas.’
Scott Ratcliffe and his 10-year-old son Eliott, who has broken up from school, were in the queue to pick up their Fan IDs, having arrived in Moscow on Tuesday.
The 46-year-old, from Four Oaks in Birmingham, said: ‘Absolutely flying – can’t explain how good it feels, especially after Italia 90.
‘I couldn’t get there, tried three times so I’ve waited 28 years to get here.
‘I think it’s going to be very tight, Croatia are not going to be a pushover, by any means.
‘They’ve got a good side, they’ve improved over the years, but I look at England at the moment and think we’ve got a fantastic side.
‘You’ve got to look at that squad now and think, you know what, they’re going to get a result.’
Model Lauryn Goodman is in Russia as she is the girlfriend of Marcus Rashford’s brother.
‘This is my first World Cup game and I just feel that from the semi finals it gets real. It gets serious. I can’t wait,’ she said.
Fans who flew in without tickets were being asked to pay up for tickets at four times the face value.
Greedy touts inside Red Square were preying on football fans by selling the best seats with a face value of £326 for £1,750.
One fan bought a ticket with a face value of around £100 for £600.
Ian Clatworthy, 33, from Solihull said: ‘I couldn’t come this far and not see the match. ‘I had a budget of £1,000 so I suppose I’ve done alright but it is a shame for the guys who won’t be able to see the game.’
Meanwhile two more supporters said they felt ‘lucky’ at only having to pay £800 each for tickets originally costing £100.
Alex Bradbury, 26, a West Ham fan, abandoned his lads weekend in Nashville and flew from the US to see the game and he and his friend fellow Londoner Robert Oliver.
The advertising executive who works in America said: ‘Its scandalous that we are being asked these prices.
‘It’s great that Rob and I have got ours but it hurts a lot to have to pay this amount of money to see your country at the World Cup.
‘It’s always the same when there’s a massive tournament and people have to and be willing to pay these ridiculous prices.
‘For me and Rob all we have ever heard about is Italy 1990 as we weren’t even born so it’s a dream to see England in the semi final.
‘This World Cup has cost us a small fortune as we had tickets for the group stages but were put off by the talk of violence and racism.
‘But since we got in last night, the Russians except for the touts have been amazingly friendly.
Fans who flew in without tickets were being asked to pay up for tickets at four times the face value. Greedy touts inside Red Square were preying on football fans by selling the best seats with a face value of £326 for £1,750
A Russian police officer poses with a Gareth Southgate lookalike dressed in his trademark waistcoat in Moscow’s Red Square
Many England fans made the last minute decision to come and support the team after their unexpected success in Russia
‘After watching every match at the pub and with huge regret for not coming we decided on Sunday night after a few beers that we had to do it and bought a one way flight and a hotel for 2 days all right there and then spreading the cost over multiple cards.
‘I was in Nashville on a lads weekend away and rob was sat in his local in the east village in New York.
‘We are still working on tickets for the final while also needing to find another hotel and arrange a return flight at some point to go back to work. ‘Both of our company bosses have been more than happy for us to come to cheer on England despite us giving no notice and just getting on a plane.’
Croatian fan Igor Hazellear, 26, said: ‘ I can not afford these prices. We earn less. Indy than the English. I will watch in a bar here.’
Friends Will Carr and Dale Goulding, who made the decision to book flights last Thursday before progress was guaranteed.
Mr Goulding, 27, from Clapham Junction, south London, said the plan was to get to the ticket office early and pick up any tickets being resold through official channels, and failing that they would play the touts at their own game.
‘What the touts are doing is getting people coming to the Fifa ticket office and saying I’ll give you £50 more, knowing they can sell it to and England fan for £150 more,’ he said.
‘We are going to turn up in our England tops – we’re genuine. We are going to do what they are doing.
Three Lions supporters were in strong voice and good spirits this afternoon in Russia without a hint of trouble before the game
England fans have begun arriving in Red Square ready for Wednesday night’s game against Croatia for a place in their first World Cup final in 52 years at stake
‘We are going to stand there and say, ‘any tickets, we need a ticket’, and if that doesn’t work, we’ll go to the ground.’
Mr Carr, 25, from Acomb, in York, said the pair knew they had to get to Russia for the game, given neither were alive the last time England played such a crucial tie.
‘Everyone’s believing,’ he said.
Among the first to arrive were Leeds fans Ryan Rodley, 27, and Jordan Gilmore, 29, who landed in Moscow from Manchester via Helsinki.
Ryan, who runs a scaffolding firm, said: ‘We went 1-0 up against Sweden and we were booking our flights which cost £270.
‘We didn’t know what to expect once we got here. We had no hotel and definitely very little chance of a ticket. But we had to hope.’
Jordan added: ‘This morning we paid £600 each to some Russian touts outside the official FIFA ticket office.
‘We didn’t want to risk not getting a ticket as the lines were long and nobody was giving out any information. Now we are all in and it’s going to be great.’
Jonathan Earlman, 33, another of the group who we’re sipping beer on Red Square, added: ‘It’s going to be 2-0 to England. Once we really are in the World Cup final, we’ll sea with the ticket situation. I’ve heard they are going to be around £2000 each.’