PALM BEACH GARDENS.- England He began his concentration this Tuesday for the World Cup 2026 in palm beach (Florida), where he will prepare two friendlies prior to the tournament, against New Zealand and Costa Ricabefore moving their training camp to Kansason June 13, for the rest of the competition.
The British team, which will debut in the tournament on Wednesday the 17th against Croatia in dallashad a one-hour session in which he was able to check the conditions that await him in Florida: 32 degrees in the shade and high humidity.
Despite the heat, the players were cheerful and dedicated during the training session in which they performed several passing and dribbling circuits and ended with a little game without goals.
“I’m used to a much worse climate than this, rainy and with lower temperatures. But it’s nice to be here adapting to what awaits us at the World Cup,” said the forward. Ollie Watkins after training.
The veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson35, summed up the mood of the group. “We are here to give everything and have a successful tournament together,” he declared. “There is nothing more exciting in football than World“.
Kobbie Mainooof the Manchester Unitedcelebrated, for his part, the opportunity to participate in a World Cupsomething he has dreamed of for as long as he can remember.
The 21-year-old midfielder spoke about the importance of going step by step in a competition like this. “When you look too far ahead at the World Cup it can seem a little overwhelming, so we are focusing on the present,” he said.
Figures and absentees
The goal, in any case, is clear for the team led by the German Thomas Tuchelwhich features stars like Harry Kaneof the Bayern Municheither Jude Bellinghamof the Real Madrid.
The coach gave a surprise by leaving big names in European football out of the 26 squad, such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden either Cole Palmer.
England will play two warm-up matches in Florida before the tournament: against New Zealand, on Saturday, June 6 in tampaand against Costa Rica, in orlandoon Wednesday the 10th.
“We’re a big nation and we haven’t had the success we wanted in these competitions before, so the goal is obviously to win the World Cup,” Watkins said.
