Inside England's World Cup camp: The card games boosting team bonding

As England strive to perfect their performance on the pitch at the World Cup, the games they play off it are playing a vital role in strengthening team bonding. With the group stage featuring Croatia, Ghana, and Panama, the players' downtime has been occupied by card games such as Wolf, SkyJo, and Imposter.

The squad is two weeks into their stay at their World Cup base camp in Kansas City, and they could remain there for up to three more weeks if they reach the final. Keeping themselves entertained away from the training pitch is therefore crucial for maintaining morale and focus.

New additions to the games menu

At previous tournaments, England players have played Wolf, a game similar to the BBC show The Traitors. During the build-up to the Euro 2024 final against Spain, the squad even received a message from The Traitors presenter Claudia Winkleman. Wolf remains on the menu this World Cup, but SkyJo and Imposter are new additions to ensure variety under the watchful eye of manager Thomas Tuchel and his staff.

SkyJo: A numbers-based card game

Morgan Rogers told BBC Sport that the players have taken to SkyJo, a numbers-based card game where the aim is to score low. Jude Bellingham introduced the game to the camp. “A few of us yesterday when we rode our bikes to a coffee shop, played cards,” Rogers said. “Jude bought it, it's a bit of a different one. I've never seen it before, but we're addicted at the moment.”

Rogers, an Aston Villa forward, was happy to discuss the game he played with Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Dan Burn, Anthony Gordon, and Elliot Anderson—not least because he won. In SkyJo, players collect and exchange cards until someone exceeds 100 points, at which point the player with the lowest score wins.

Imposter: A secret-word game

Brentford midfielder Henderson added insight into another bonding activity: Imposter. In this game, everyone receives a secret word via an app except for one player, who is the “imposter.” The group then works together to identify who is in the dark. Henderson has been playing a key role in building squad morale, with Rogers noting that he and the former Liverpool midfielder have formed a tight-knit group with Bellingham. “He's looking after us while me and Jude are squabbling with each other,” Rogers said. “We call him unc [uncle] at the moment, which he's not happy about at all.”

Off-field activities and club atmosphere

England's staff have added personal touches to players' rooms, including pictures of family members, and ensured the squad can make the most of their non-football time in the USA. For instance, Tuchel, along with captain Harry Kane, Djed Spence, and defender Burn, attended a Sporting KC baseball game near their base camp. Burn and Kane also went to a concert by country artist Ella Langley.

Tuchel has emphasized creating a club atmosphere when the Three Lions convene. Henderson noted that the squad bonds by playing games on the way to training. Rogers is competing for the number 10 starting spot that Bellingham has held during the World Cup so far. The pair have known each other since childhood, having grown up in the West Midlands. “I wish it wasn't a rivalry, if I'm honest,” Rogers said. “Yeah, we're really close. We spend pretty much all the time together, in the free time and stuff. And it's one of those things. I know we play in similar positions. I think we actually can play with each other. So I don't think it's necessarily me v him.”