Women’s World Cup 2019: Phil Neville calls in Marines to give England players a reality check

There was a time when England’s female World Cup footballers slept in a gym because the Football Association invested so little in the sport they could not afford a hotel. Times have changed – now they get to sleep in a tent.

That, at least, was their accommodation on a mercifully dry night on Wednesday, but it was because of the FA’s investment in the team, not the lack of it. Phil Neville called in the Marines to put the Lionesses through team-building and bonding exercises, supervise a night under the stars at St George’s Park, and provide the sort of perspective that should come in handy if England face a penalty shoot-out in France.

Read more: England Women’s World Cup squad – in full: The 23 Lionesses at France 2019

“There were men there who had had their legs blown off, amputees. It was inspiring for us,” said Beth Mead, the Arsenal striker. “We think we are courageous when we are on a football pitch and there are people like that, with half their body missing, getting on with life. It gives us a reality check. When we moan that we have a niggle, or our foot is hurting ‘as I have a bruise’, it put things in perspective. I think it has been good for us.”

‘That’s real life’

Barcelona’s Toni Duggan agreed. “When you talk about the pressure of going to a World Cup, I don’t think there’s any pressure after hearing their stories, because that’s real life. They were talking about being out in Afghanistan when the Twin Towers came down and the stuff they had to do, wow… it puts things into perspective.”

Unlike the men prior to the 2018 World Cup, the players did not have to do an assault course as they have a warm-up match against Denmark at Walsall tomorrow. However, added Duggan: “We ate the food they eat, cooked the way they do and did some team-bonding activities that were difficult, tough. What was so surprising was they were big fans of us and so proud and the way they talked to us, not down to us… I couldn’t believe they were even saying that, because we kick a ball around.

“I sat around the fire with the Marines just chatting all night about all different experiences, about being a leader, under pressure, and who better to learn from… they are getting bombs fired at them, guns shot at them, wow.”

‘We had everything took off us’

The players had to put up their own tents (“fortunately I was sharing with Millie Bright, who knew how to do it”, said Jodie Taylor of the Derbyshire country girl), cook dinner from army rations, and do a series of exercises. “We had our phones and everything took off us,” said Mead. “A few girls had spicy curries. I think they weren’t best pleased as we were camping out – warm it all up over a fire in packets, then we all slept in tents about an inch away from each other.

“We were sat round a campfire, singing together. It was probably the most together we’ve ever been with England.”

Mead added: “It was funny when we woke up this morning. Everyone’s hair was all over the place and we had army paint on from the night before. It felt like we’d been on a good night out.”