Prince William praised for giving England football team 'boost' with special gift ahead of Qatar World Cup

The Prince of Wales paid a surprise visit to the Three Lions on Monday ahead of their upcoming trip to Doha for the Qatar World Cup

Prince William praised for giving England team 'boost' with special gift ahead of Qatar World Cup
(Image credit: Getty)

Prince William has been praised after paying a special visit to the England football team before they head to Qatar for the FIFA World Cup 2022. 


Prince William has been commended for giving the England football squad 'a boost' ahead of its journey to Qatar for the FIFA World Cup 2022. 

The Prince of Wales traveled to St. George's Park, the England National Football Centre at Burton Upon Trent, to surprise the Three Lions before they fly to Doha on Tuesday - and to assist with a very special presentation ceremony. The exciting appearance comes a few weeks after it was confirmed that the future King would not be attending the World Cup in Qatar, due to conflicts with his 'busy winter schedule.' 

Prince William

(Image credit: Getty)

Kensington Palace did say there was potential that his diary could be revised, however, depending on England's performance in the iconic competition. 

Whether he attends the World Cup 2022 in the end or not, William's support for the Three Lions ahead of the big event was hard to ignore yesterday. 

In a video shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales's official Instagram on Tuesday, the 41-year-old can been beaming as England football manager, Gareth Southgate, formally introduces him to the team. 

After presenting each of the 26 players with their official shirt numbers, William delivered some reassuring words on behalf of the nation. 

"I'm really here to point out that the rest of the country is behind you," he said. "We are all rooting for you, enjoy it." The prince also shook hands with all the players and posed for photos. 

"How exciting! I'm sure His Royal Highness gave everyone the boost they needed for the World Cup," one person commented, while another said, "Just love your caring nature, William." 

The Lions set off for Qatar on Tuesday morning, before heading to their first training session at the Al Wakrah sports center on Wednesday. Their first game, which will see the squad take on Iran, will take place next Monday. 

It was confirmed last month that Prince William has 'no plans' to attend the World Cup 2022 in Qatar, amid ongoing controversy over the Middle Eastern country's history of human rights abuses and treatment of the LGBTQ+ community. The tournament also conflicts with his upcoming trip to the US at the end of November, where he will present the Earthshot prize in Boston. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.