England trained for the first time in Russia on Wednesday, with midfielder Eric Dier praising coach Gareth Southgate's ability to shield his players from the hothouse World Cup atmosphere. A day after touching down in Saint Petersburg, England held an open training session in nearby Zelenogorsk watched by hundreds of excited young fans. Harry Kane was presented with a trophy by women in traditional local dress while an announcer introduced players one by one to the squealing Russian children.

It made for a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere, contrasting with the sometimes fraught build-up to the tournament, particularly recent controversy involving Raheem Sterling. Sterling was criticised for having a tattoo of a gun inked on his leg but Southgate responded by starting the midfielder in a friendly win over Nigeria. The manager's loyalty amid the sometimes feverish atmosphere generated by England's media and public expectations has not gone unnoticed.