England’s players are finding creative ways to stay sharp and connected during their World Cup campaign, with card games and social activities playing a key role.
The squad are two weeks into their stay at their World Cup basecamp in Kansas City, with the potential to remain there for another three weeks should they reach the final.
While attention on the pitch has centred on the group stage, the players’ downtime has been filled with Wolf, SkyJo and a game called Imposter.
Morgan Rogers revealed to BBC Sport that SkyJo has become a firm favourite after Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham introduced the numbers-based card game to the camp.
“A few of us yesterday when we rode our bikes to a coffee shop, played cards,” Rogers said, reflecting on how naturally the sessions have come together.
“Jude bought it, it’s a bit of a different one. I’ve never seen it before, but we’re addicted at the moment.”
In SkyJo, players collect and exchange cards with the aim of keeping their score as low as possible, until someone crosses 100 points and the lowest scorer is declared the winner.
Rogers was particularly pleased to discuss the game given that he came out on top, beating Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Dan Burn, Anthony Gordon and Elliot Anderson.
England’s players have also been playing Wolf, a game similar to The Traitors, which featured during their build-up to the Euro 2024 final against Spain, when the squad received a message from Traitors presenter Claudia Winkleman.
Imposter is another new addition, with players sent a secret word via an app, except for one person, and the group must then identify who has been left in the dark.
Henderson has been central to fostering squad morale, with Rogers crediting the former Liverpool midfielder as a steadying presence within their close group.
“He’s looking after us while me and Jude are squabbling with each other,” Rogers said, adding that the squad has taken to calling Henderson “unc” despite his apparent reluctance.
Thomas Tuchel has placed a strong emphasis on building a genuine club atmosphere within the England setup, extending to personal touches in the players’ rooms including family photographs.
Tuchel himself has embraced the social side of the camp, attending a Sporting KC event alongside captain Harry Kane, Djed Spence and Burn, whose stadium sits close to the team’s base.
Kane and Burn have also attended a concert by country artist Ella Langley, further underlining the relaxed but purposeful environment Tuchel’s staff have cultivated.
Rogers and Bellingham are competing for the same position in the team, though the Aston Villa forward is keen to stress their bond runs far deeper than any rivalry.
“I wish it wasn’t a rivalry, if I’m honest,” Rogers said, noting the pair grew up together in the West Midlands and spend the majority of their free time in camp together.
“I know we play in similar positions. I think we actually can play with each other,” he added, suggesting the competition between the two is far from straightforward.
“And if and when required, I think we can do that to the best of our ability. So we’ll see how the tournament keeps progressing and developing.”
