The £500 ring set to become England’s ‘secret weapon’ at Euro 2024

Gareth Southgate, his squad and the entire backroom staff have been kitted out with the ring (Picture: Getty)

England’s quest to end their long-running drought in men’s major tournaments has often left no stone unturned.

Ahead of Euro 2024, what could be Gareth Southgate’s last tournament in charge of the Three Lions, the FA have already spent around £800,000 on a lavish training camp in Germany, kitted out with a golf course and robot waiters.

But Southgate and his team are still looking for every marginal gain, a pursuit of perfect preparation that has led them to a £500 smart ring, previously worn and endorsed by the likes of Kim Kardashian and Prince Harry.

The Oura ring, priced up to £500, has been given to Southgate, his squad and the entire backroom staff to wear throughout the tournament, potentially costing more than £12,000 for the FA. Many of the England players have already been seen with them in training.

The high-tech tracking device aims to monitor sleep, body temperature, stress and heart health, with England hoping it can be a secret weapon and keep their squad in the optimum condition throughout the tournament.

Originally launched in 2013, the ring, made out of aerospace-grade titanium, uses in-built infrared and LEDs to take readings from the wearer.

Unlike other wearable fitness tracking devices which take readings from the wrist, the Oura ring takes its measurement directly from the arteries in the finger, which they claim are significantly more accurate.

Conor Gallagher was seen wearing the ring in training (Picture: Getty)

Explaining how the ring can boost performance, the Oura website said: ‘Whether you’re managing a professional sports organisation or training elite forces, ensure your team is always performing at the highest level with precise biometrics.

‘Use accurate, continuous data to prioritise rest, adjust training schedules, monitor recovery, and detect signs of illness, injury, and fatigue.’

The company’s website also claims that users experience 87 per cent improved overall health, 88 per cent better sleep quality, 74 per cent improved stress management and 71 per cent improved work productivity.

The Oura ring aims to monitor sleep, body temperature, stress and heart health (Picture: Oura)

As well as its numerous celebrity endorsements, the ring is also claimed to be used by the US Army and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). They were also used by the German national team ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The England squad already had an early adopter of the technology, with Manchester City centre-back John Stones revealing last year that he used the device.

‘The first thing I do once I’m out of bed is check my Oura Ring to see how I’ve slept – it’s addictive,’ he said speaking to Face magazine.

‘It tells me how long it took me to fall asleep, how much REM (rapid eye movement) and deep sleep I managed, how many times I woke up…it’s mad.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.