England’s 23-man squad and backroom staff have posed for a team photo in their matching Marks and Spencer suits before flying out to the World Cup in Russia
Gareth Southgate’s young side, who head to the finals on the back of two recent friendly wins over Nigeria and Costa Rica, enjoyed their final training session on home soil on Monday.
They will head to their base in Repino on Tuesday to prepare for their opening match with Tunisia, after which they face group matches against Panama and Belgium.
England’s squad pose in their World Cup suits. Back-row (L to R): Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones, Jordan Pickford, Dele Alli, Marcus Rashford, Kyle Walker, Fabian Delph and Jamie Vardy. Middle row (L to R): Martyn Margetson (GK coach), Harry Maguire, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Jack Butland, Eric Dier, John Stones, Gary Cahill, Nick Pope and Allan Russell (striker coach). Front row (L to R): Danny Rose, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane (captain), Gareth Southgate (manager), Steve Holland (assistant manager), Jordan Henderson, Ashley Young, Kieran Trippier and Trent Alexander-Arnold
Rose, Lingard, Sterling, Kane, Southgate and Co smile for the cameras before flying out to their base for the tournament
Southgate and his players appeared in good spirits as they enjoyed their final few hours on these shores this week
In amazing behind-the-scenes pictures, England boss Southgate and his squad are seen trying on their new, matching suits
Kane, who will captain the Three Lions in Russia, leads his team-mates to the official photoshoot at St George’s Park
Alli, Alexander-Arnold, Sterling and Loftus Cheek show off their matching suits and shoes for this summer’s showpiece
Southgate’s squad is full of promise and they begin their World Cup campaign against Tunisia on Monday June, 18
Before leaving these shores, however, captain Harry Kane and his Three Lions team-mates put on their official World Cup suits, which costs £413 and is provided by Marks and Spencer.
Wearing the navy three-piece suit, blue shirt, silk striped tie and leather brogue shoes, the England team and backroom staff came together for their official photograph.
England head into the upcoming tournament, which begins on Thursday, with a youthful and inexperienced squad and expectations low.
Southgate will lead his team into the first major tournament of his tenure, knowing potential clashes with giants such as France await in the knockout stages should England secure safe passage out of the group stages.
They begin their campaign against Tunisia on Monday June 18 and on Tuesday the official England Twitter account posted the team photo with the caption: ‘Ready for Russia.’
The FA also released amazing behind-the-scenes photographs, showing Danny Welbeck, Jesse Lingard and Co trying on their new outfit at the country’s training centre, St George’s Park, on Monday.
And Southgate’s squad appeared in good spirits, sharing jokes and striking poses for the cameras, as they enjoyed their final few hours at home before flying out to Russia.
In their final session on these shores,England continued preparations for their own adventure by holding an internal match at St George’s Park on Monday lunchtime.
The 23 squad members were joined by stand-by midfielder Jake Livermore in a game held on the Sir Bobby Charlton Pitch, where referee Anthony Taylor oversaw proceedings.
Lingard and Sterling check out their new World Cup outfit, which is available to buy from Marks and Spencer for £413
Southgate’s England stars line up for their official photograph before making the journey to Russia for the tournament
Maguire and Pickford, who could be part of England’s backline for their tournament opener against Tunisia, show off the suit
Players switched between the teams that wore England’s white and black training tops, allowing Southgate to look at different combinations as all the squad members received some involvement.
When they do arrive in Russia on Tuesday, Kane and Co could be forced to cope with a dramatic rise in temperature when they transfer from their training base to Volgograd for their opening game.
Gareth Southgate’s squad on Tuesday head to Repino, close to the Finnish border, with the temperature expected to be as low as 15°C for their first training session on Wednesday.
But they then travel more than 1,000 miles south to Volgograd for their first group game against Tunisia on Monday with the mercury expected to rise as high as 33°C there by the end of this week.