According to reports, the stolen items included boots belonging to some of England’s leading players, as well as official tournament balls and other training gear.
ENGLAND’s preparations for the World Cup have been disrupted following the theft of several items, including match boots belonging to players, before the squad’s first training session in Kansas City, The Guardian reports.
The incident is believed to have occurred while equipment was being transported from the team’s pre-tournament base in Florida to their training camp at Swope Soccer Village in Missouri.
According to reports, the stolen items included boots belonging to some of England’s leading players, as well as official tournament balls and other training gear.
The Kansas City Police Department has launched an investigation into the matter and confirmed that two individuals have been taken into custody.
“Two persons of interest have been detained pending further investigation,” a police spokesperson was quoted as saying.
Managed by Thomas Tuchel, England are scheduled to hold their first training session at the camp on Saturday afternoon.
The The Football Association declined to comment on the incident but is expected to work closely with local authorities in efforts to recover the missing equipment.
England are due to begin their Group L campaign against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday.
The incident represents an unexpected setback for the Football Association, which has put extensive preparations in place as Tuchel seeks to guide England to their first major trophy since their triumph at the 1966 FIFA World Cup.
