Ed Sheeran to give private concert for England players after win over Slovakia

Sheeran, who has a connection to football through his sponsorship of his boyhood club Ipswich Town, performed at the venue, with players and staff seated opposite him in the hotel’s playing room.

Southgate has opened the camp to families after the games, even though they are still hours away from their four games and the next one against the Swiss in Dusseldorf.

Sheeran’s presence at the training base was one of the things Southgate and his team did to make the tournament as enjoyable as possible during a month-long absence from football.

The manager spoke about the need for fun to refresh players, which is not ‘data’ driven but can have a big impact on a tournament. They have been together for over a month since they met at Rockcliffe Park near Darlington.

During the last World Cup, Robbie Williams visited the selection for a sing-along concert.