Boots, official balls, training material. On the eve of their debut at the World Cup, England finds themselves having to deal with a sensational theft which risks complicating the preparations of Thomas Tuchel’s team. According to reports in the British media, some of the England national team’s equipment was stolen during the transfer from the training camp in West Palm Beach, Florida, to the base in Kansas City, where the team will train in the coming weeks.
The material was headed to the Swope Soccer Village, the center chosen by England as headquarters for the first phase of the tournament. But upon the arrival of the shipment in Missouri, the staff discovered that several fundamental objects were missing: among these were the boots of some players, official tournament balls and equipment used for technical and athletic sessions. According to initial reconstructions, analysis tools, tactical boards and massage tables would also have disappeared.
The yellow of Kane and Bellingham’s boots
The biggest concern concerns the boots of the most important players. Among the stolen material there were also the racing shoes of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. A detail that, for those who don’t know football, may seem secondary. But at these levels the boots are often customized, adapted to the needs of the individual athlete and prepared well in advance.
The Football Association is working with the local police to reconstruct what happened and understand precisely what was stolen. The Kansas City Police Department confirmed it is investigating a possible theft of equipment from a squad vehicle that arrived in town with some items missing. Two people were arrested as part of the investigation.
Disturbed preparation before Croatia
The setback comes at the worst time for England, who await their world debut against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday 17 June. The team was supposed to have its first training session in Kansas City on Saturday afternoon, but the technical staff was forced to quickly check what material was still available and what needed to be recovered or replaced.
It is not yet clear whether the theft will have concrete consequences on the session or on the preparation of the match. Certainly, for a national team aiming to win its first World Cup away from home, it is not the type of unexpected event that one would want to face a few days after its debut.
Suspicions about transportation
According to reconstructions by the British media, security officials suspect the possible involvement of people linked to the transport of the material, but on this point there is no official confirmation from investigators.
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