“Not everyone gets to see all the hard work you put in, so thank you,” the Prince of Wales said to the “team behind the team”

Prince William visits England soccer at St. George’s Park on May 27, 2026.Credit : The Prince and Princess of Wales/Instagram

Prince William stepped out in his sportiest role for an unannounced visit to the team that keeps England’s soccer squad running.

On May 27, England’s men’s soccer team shared a video on X that showed the Prince of Wales visiting the squad at St. George’s Park as they gear up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Prince William, 43, is the patron of the Football Association (FA), English soccer’s governing body, and he praised the “team behind the team” with some remarks.

“Just wanted to take the opportunity to see the team behind the team today and say thank you and good luck to all of you guys, who don’t get as much acknowledgement or credit as you deserve. Not everyone gets to see all the hard work you put in, and the entire success of the players comes from the foundations you built, so thank you,” the Prince of Wales said in an informal address.

The footage showed soccer superfan William touring the facility and meeting lots of staff members preparing for the prestigious global tournament.

“All the things are coming in align now. The Lionesses successes that they’ve had, two men’s Euro Finals, kind of feels like we’re closing in on that sort of ambition,” Prince William continued, shouting out the recent victories of England’s women’s and men’s squads.

“Go with my blessings and best wishes to all of you. Enjoy it, look after each other and give your best, and I’m sure we will do well, so good luck,” he wrapped and raised his hands in prayer.

England manager Thomas Tuchel and Prince William at St. George’s Park on May 27, 2026.The Prince and Princess of Wales/Instagram

England’s men’s soccer squad is nicknamed the Three Lions and their first World Cup match will be a pre-tournament friendly against New Zealand in Tampa, Florida on June 6, according to ESPN.

Next on their schedule is a friendly against Costa Rica in Orlando on June 10 and the Three Lions will later play Croatia in their first group game on June 17 in Dallas, Texas.

William chatted with England manager Thomas Tuchel during his visit to St. George’s Park, making the stop fresh off his whirlwind trip to Turkey to root for his beloved Aston Villa.

Prince William during the UEFA Europa League Final 2026 match between SC Freiburg and Aston Villa FC at Besiktas Park on May 20, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey.Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty

The heir to the throne was an animated fan in the stands with his inner circle of friends at the UEFA Europa League championship in Istanbul on May 20, where the Premier League team beat SC Freiburg 3-0 and clinched their first trophy in 30 years.

SOURCE: https://people.com/prince-william-surprise-visit-deliver-personal-message-england-soccer-team-before-world-cup-11984403