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Global superstar Ed Sheeran had a wince-inducing surprise for the England football squad ahead of Saturday’s quarter-final match.
The football tournament is well underway in North America as England gears up to play Norway this Saturday in a nail-biting showdown, which will seeWorld Cup favourites Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland reunite on the field.
All in all, the major sporting event hasn’t been without chaos, from Jordan Henderson’s freak arm injury during match victory celebrations to Team USA crashing out of the competition despite Trump pulling strings.
Elsewhere, in one of the most epic moments yet, there was Harry Kane’s post England vs Mexico interview in which he had sung and shouted so much that he had totally lost his voice and briefly transformed into Mickey Mouse.
But the Shape of You hitmaker’s latest stunt might just take the top prize for cringiest moment so far.
The chart-topping artist, who was recently in New York to attend close friend Taylor Swift’s wedding. He’s now made the short trip over to Kansas City, where the England team, headed by Harry Kane, are in full preparation mode.
The short video documenting his impromptu visit starts with the singer explaining that Harry first got him down to the camp in 2021, and he’s been a regular ever since.
As the video flashed to clips of him hugging and laughing with various team members, he explained he ‘bonded’ with them that first time, and so they are ‘never a tough crowd’.
‘In 2021 Harry got me down to the camp and then I met everyone and then I’ve just been to every one since and it’s been great, it’s been a nice little tradition.
‘The first time I played for the lads in 2021 we bonded and so it’s never a tough crowd,’ he explained.
Cut to Ed serenading the silent team with an acoustic version of his 2017 hit Castle on the Hill. At rare points, the camera catches glimpses of the footballers watching on gormlessly.
(It does seem as though the video has since been edited to solely focus on Ed’s singing).
The video wrapped up with another aside as Ed gave his prediction of an England vs France final, with the home team nabbing the win. It’s coming home!
The uncanny valley aesthetic of the entire video has left fans utterly baffled and thoroughly amused, especially as the whole thing played out like an awkward British sitcom.
‘Why do they look so uninterested?’ fawziyaaa wrote on X.
‘Why is this the funniest thing,’ exilewillows asked.
‘It’s so funny how unbothered they are about him being there, looks like a scene from The Office,’ Conor McKechnie shared.
‘The camera cuts like the office has finished me off,’ Nayfchels echoed.
‘They should get a treat, not a punishment,’ Andy Ford noted. ‘What have they done to deserve this,’ Mark asked.
England’s future in the 2026 World Cup is truly up in the air with a huge blow after England defender Jarrell Quansa received a two-game ban from FIFA, which means he’ll miss this Saturday’s game.
If the Three Lions do secure victory, however, they’ll have an emotional Wonderwall sing-along to look forward to, with the Oasis song firmly remaining the anthem of the England football team.