England manager Gareth Southgate called on his players to shut out the noise ahead of this month’s World Cup, and focus instead on the opportunity they have to become the greatest team in the country’s history with victory in Qatar.
Southgate’s side reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the final of last year’s European Championship, but England have failed to win a major trophy since lifting the World Cup on home soil in 1966.
England begin their group campaign against Iran on November 21 and also face the United States and Wales in Group B.
“With the players we want to talk to them about the excitement of going to a World Cup,” Southgate said.
“We understand the need to comment on the off-field things that surround this tournament, but we want the players to feel that enthusiasm that they’ve had since kids. We want to fuel that. We want them to transition from a hectic club schedule to thinking about England.
“We want to talk to them about the fact that this, whatever happens over the next four weeks, has been the second-best period for English football. We can make it the best.”
Southgate heaped praise 19-year-old midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Atletico end winless streak
Barcelona: It was a modest win over a tiny rival but coach Diego Simeone will be relieved to at least avoid more embarrassment in the Copa del Rey before Atletico Madrid tries to regroup during the World Cup break.
Atletico ended a five-game winless run after Ángel Correa and João Félix scored to beat fifth-tier Almazán 2-0 in the first round of the Spanish cup on Saturday.
Simeone will now have six weeks to fix his team — which is enduring one of its worst seasons since the Argentine took charge more than a decade ago — before club play resumes in late December. Atlético are in fifth place in the Spanish league and 13 points behind leader Barcelona and completely out of European competitions after they finished last in their Champions League group.
Correa opened the scoring in the 35th when he finished off a shot by Félix that goalkeeper Alberto González had blocked. Félix fired in a second goal in the 63rd.
AP/PTI
