Southgate's pep talk gives favourites England a confidence boost

England is the birthplace of modern cricket and football, but these games are seemingly heading in different directions in the country. Many die-hard football fans of the ‘beautiful game’ have no interest in the ‘gentleman’s game’ and vice versa.

However, when England take the field at the Oval in the inaugural match of the 12th edition of the Cricket World Cup on Thursday, there will be a football celebrity cheering them on from the gallery: England’s national football team coach Gareth Southgate!

He is rooting for England in the World Cup not just because the country is hosting the tournament. He is a self-confessed cricket fan and a friend of many players in the national squad.

England have never won the World Cup despite being in the final on three occasions. But this time it could be different as they enter this tournament as favourites and the No. 1 side in the world. Eoin Morgan’s team are supremely confident that they can beat any of the other nine sides on their day, and if they failed to do so it would be a huge disappointment.

Southgate, who went to the 2018 World Cup in Russia with a young and unfancied team, won the hearts of English fans after England surpassed expectations by reaching the semi-finals.

In Southgate, the English cricket team management found the ideal person to motivate the players and help them overcome the burden of high expectations. The 48-year-old gave them a pep talk on how his football team built on bigger expectations and came together more as a group. Southgate also gifted the cricketers football jerseys with their name on the back.

The session with him was brilliant and his talk had resonated well with the players, skipper Morgan later told reporters.

When Southgate spoke about the England football team’s resurrection after a dismal campaign in the 2014 edition in Brazil, it reminded Morgan and Co. of the team’s embarrassing first-round exit from the 2015 World Cup.

Southgate advised them to leave the past behind and be confident that they have their chance for World Cup glory.

Will his pep talk make a difference in England’s fortunes? Let’s wait and see!