England’s WAGs, including Ellie Anderson, the influencer wife of striker Ollie Watkins, have arrived in Dallas ahead of the national team’s next fixture.
The group travelled to Texas, where England are set to take on Croatia on Wednesday night. For Anderson, however, the journey was about more than just football, with the long-haul flight made even more daunting by travelling with children and an eye-catching amount of luggage.
Before leaving for the United States, Anderson shared her pre-trip thoughts on social media, admitting she had packed heavily in an effort to avoid unnecessary spending once abroad.
“We are off to America today. We’ve got so many suitcases it’s ridiculous. But I basically packed everything that I would possibly need because I just did not want to be buying anything extra out there,” she said.
She added: “Like, I have everything I need. I don’t want to be wasting any money and spending on extra duplicates so hence the three suitcases.
Ollie Watkins’ influencer wife Ellie Anderson led the WAGs heading to America for England’s first World Cup match
“I know it seems a bit excessive but I just don’t know how long we’re going to be out there for so I’m trying to be prepared and hopefully we’ll be able to squeeze a little family holiday in after. I have packed a few things for that just in case.”
Ellie added: ‘I’m trying to carry as little as possible because it’s just going to be chaos. Two kids, 100 suitcases, extra hand luggage bags.’
England fans were turfed out of the Londoner Pub in Dallas on Tuesday during a wild night of partying for travelling supporters.
Local police went into the bar well before the 2am closing time to move the fans on.
The Brits were shirtless, dancing on tables and enjoying the cheap booze ahead of England’s first game of the World Cup against Croatia on Wednesday.
And it wasn’t just the Texas watering holes being overrun by England fans, as they also took over the rodeo on Tuesday.
Daily Mail Sport’s Mike Keegan shared footage of a rendition of Sweet Caroline at the event, leaving the locals bemused.
Dozens of die-hard Three Lions fans caught the last flight out of London on Tuesday to make today’s opening game against Croatia.
American Airlines Flight 81 was booked out with England supporters and a few Croats as well, and as it touched down in Dallas Fort Worth at 7.30pm local an hour early a huge cheer went up.
Two female England fans enjoy the party at the Londoner Pub on Mockingbird Lane
Dallas Police ask England supporters to leave the establishment on Tuesday night
The packed flight from London Heathrow was the last direct flight to Dallas, Texas, where England kick off their opening group match today against Croatia in the suburb of Arlington, The flight left at 4.25pm on Tuesday, landing eight hours later.
By hook or by crook, fans had scrimped and saved, beg, borrowed but not stole to pay the eye watering cost of tickets, flights and hotel – all in the hope they would see England get off to a winning start.
At least 16,000 fans are thought to have flown to the United States for the opening game and many will be staying on for the other group games and then ultimately the final in New York on July 19.
Among them were Chelsea fans John Nagy, 62, and his two sons Daniel, 28, dressed in an England top, and Max, 27, all from Beaconsfield, Bucks, and they among the first of the Boeing 777.
John said: ‘We are really excited to be here, it’s a bit of dad and sons bonding trip, it’s cost the best part of £15,000 but you can’t take it with you can you, so you may as well enjoy yourself.
‘We are going to all three group games so there’s a bit of travel, but we are also breaking it up with a bit of a holiday in Nashville to check out the music scene, that’s straight after the Dallas game and then we go to Boston and New York.
‘Yes, it’s a lot of money but I’m hoping it will be the experience of a lifetime, I may not be around in ten or fifteen years so why not have a bit of a blow out and it will be good to be with the boys.
‘I’m quite confident actually, the group stages should be straightforward three wins for certain but then with the knockouts it gets a bit tricky, but I like the way (Thomas) Tuchel has pulled this team together they seem to have gelled and get on.
‘Obviously being a Chelsea fan, I was disappointed he didn’t take Cole Palmer with him but I’m prepared to forgive and forget that, especially if we can go on and win it after 60 years of hurt, it’s about time.’
Max was also confident and said: ’I will be disappointed if we don’t get to the quarter finals at the very least, as dad says the group games shouldn’t be a problem but as always after that the knockouts get difficult.
‘But from what I’ve seen of the warmup games we are getting there and to qualify without losing a game means the other teams will be wary of us, we just need to make sure everyone stays fit.
England fans travelled from far and wide and arrived in the US in high spirits
‘It’s going to be the experience of a lifetime and I’m really looking forward to it – Dallas, Nashville, Boston and New York it’s a real slice of America and it’s going to be brilliant, expensive but brilliant.’
Daniel however wasn’t so sure about England and said: ‘I’m going to buck the trend here and say I’m not as confident as dad and Max, sure we will get out of the group, but I think as always, we will get to the knockouts and that will be it.
‘I may as well prepare myself for disappointment so when it happens, I won’t be too upset because it’s always the way with England, we work ourselves up and talk ourselves into being world champions and then it goes horribly wrong.’
Pensions worker Harry Matthews, 23, said: ‘I took a half day and I worked until 11:30am, went to Heathrow and go straight back after the Boston game and go to work – I did the same last week for the friendlies and I’m a member of the England supporters club I managed to get tickets.
‘I came this way but I’m meeting a friend who flew in via Madrid and Toronto, and I also have the knockouts apart from the round of 32 – and yes. I’ve got a ticket to the final and if we don’t make it then it won’t cost me too much.
‘But if we do make the final then we are talking a good five figures so it’s lucky I still live at home otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to afford it but if they do make the final then it will be a financial disaster for me.
‘There were quite a few fans on the London flight, and some Croatians and there was a bit of banter and when we landed there was a big cheer, everyone is just out to have a good time.’
Luton fan Liam Dempsey, 34, from Luton, said: ’I haven’t got tickets, but I’m prepared to pay up to £1000 for a ticket, I’m meeting some friends out here so we will be working together to see what we can do.
An England fan embraces the local culture by wearing a cowboy hat in Dallas
The night was shortlived for disappointed supporters kicked out before closing time
‘I’m really looking forward to it, I’ve got a ticket for the Ghana game, and I came in via Mexico which worked out a bit cheaper, I had a great time there and swapped shirts with some locals.
‘I’m confident that we will do well and get at least to the quarter finals, anything else is a bonus.’
Meanwhile at The Londoner pub in the suburb of Addison, Dallas, Three Lions fans were singing their hearts out for Harry Kane and the rest of the squad although the Daily Mail found three lads who hadn’t got tickets for the game but weren’t bothered.
James Rover, 25, from Leeds, who starts his new job as a geography teacher in September, said: ‘We were prepared to pay up to £600 for a ticket but from what we are seeing and hearing it’s now at least double that minimum and I don’t think it’s worth that much.
‘I’m quite happy to stay here and sink a few beers with the locals, everyone is so friendly and welcoming, it’s great fun, I know it’s expensive, but we are having the time of our lives, we are going out to Nashville as well and making it a road trip.
‘We’re making some great friends as well and the locals are happy to buy us a drink.’
Joe Tolley, 25, from Leeds, said:’ It’s great fun out here, yes it’s expensive with flights and hotels but we’ve saved up and so we intend to have a good time and we will have some great stories to tell when we get home.
‘I was willing to pay up to £600 for a ticket but now I’m not so sure if we will even get one for that price, it’s a least double now and I just don’t think I can justify that sort of outlay, I think I will find a pub by the ground or watch it here.’
Electrician Jason Bradbury, also from Leeds, said: ’I will give it a go and see if I can get a ticket for the Croatia game but if I can’t then so be it, but if they get to the final then I would seriously give it some thought.
‘But we are also here for a holiday as well and will be heading out to Nashville after the game to check out the music scene, it’s going to be a great few weeks and we will be skint at the end of it but who cares.
There were wild scenes inside the Londonder Pub and police were called to the premises
‘We’ve been to the Dallas fan park and it’s $20 for a can of stella so you can easily burn through $100 or £70 in the blink of an eye with five cans – they have driven up the prices which is insane.’
Ticket resale websites were offering tickets for $3000, although by shopping around the Daily Mail found some for the Croatia game at $1300.
Among others arriving in Dallas at the last minute were brothers Ian Mercer, 66, and Stuart Mercer, 63, originally from Preston, Lancashire.
They had flown in from Los Angeles and were attending their first full internationals after watching friendlies in the United States where they have lived for 40 years.
Ian said: ‘I’m pretty confident, the group games shouldn’t be too much of a problem and I can see us getting to the quarters and semi-finals at least.
‘We are fortunate to some degree as we live here so the travel isn’t as expensive, but the tickets are astronomical, we’ve paid $3200 each for tickets to the Dallas game and then the New York game.
‘We’ve always followed football and to have it here where we live is bonus and I know the cost is extortionate but we will have a good time.’
Stuart said: ‘I think the last time I saw England live was back in 1986 in a friendly as we don’t get back to England much these days but we always watch them on the TV and I’ll be honest I think they will get to the final.
‘If they get there I would give it some serious thought but the tickets will probably be around $10,000 but we could be dead in 20 or 30 years and life is what you make of it so live a little.
‘I like what he’s done with the team and Harry Kane is outstanding we just have to make sure he stays fit and doesn’t get injured.’
Which England star has 7 GCSEs? Who has lost half of his finger? Test your knowledge of Thomas Tuchel’s squad with our exclusive quiz HERE.
