England have begun their preparations for the 2026 World Cup this week with a training camp in Miami.
They travelled to Florida on Monday ahead of their two warm-up matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica.
The Three Lions now have just two weeks until their first group stage match against Croatia on Wednesday, 10 June.
They are not only in a race against time to prepare for Croatia, but also to acclimatise to the playing conditions.
Ollie Watkins has explained what the England players are already finding difficult in the United States.
Ollie Watkins reveals what players are finding difficult in the United States
Ollie Watkins briefly addressed the media during England’s first training session in Miami on Tuesday.
The Aston Villa striker admitted that the 30-degree heat in Florida made it difficult for the players.
However, Watkins realised that it would be beneficial to acclimatise before the World Cup starts.
“First day, it’s a struggle, but it’s good. It’s going to get us prepared for it,” he said. “And what better way than to be here in Miami?”
Another challenge for England’s players will be the different pitches in the United States.
The grass is different to the Premier League pitches, but Watkins had no complaints on day one.
Instead, the goalscorer appeared to be impressed with the surface at England’s training camp.
“I played here in the States with Villa in pre-season, and the pitches were a lot different from the Premier League.
“We’re world-class athletes at the end of the day, so we have to adapt. I thought the pitch was good.”
Chelsea captain Reece James had complained about the pitches at the Club World Cup in the USA last summer.
However, FIFA has reportedly worked hard to ensure that the surfaces would not be an issue at this summer’s tournament.
