England's World Cup odyssey has taken an astonishing turn – and it's not just about the goals! The Three Lions' campaign is being marked by a brutal dose of air miles, with their travels leaving all rivals in the dust. Despite setting up base in Kansas City to keep flights short, Gareth Southgate's men have clocked up more mileage than anyone else in the quarter-finals.
Across their first five games, England has averaged an astonishing 1,842 miles per match – a distance equivalent to flying from London to Lisbon and back again! It's a tally that puts them over 3,000 miles clear of Norway, their next opponents on Saturday. And here's the kicker: this massive mileage mountain dwarfs France's total tournament travel, leaving the Three Lions wondering if all those extra flights will have an impact on their chances.
Even the shortest trip taken by Thomas Tuchel's France squad has been longer than any single journey England's players have made. And while other teams have wisely set up camp near key venues, like Belgium in Renton or Argentina in Kansas City, England has played all five of their matches in different locations – with a sixth change looming for Saturday's clash against Norway.
Nations that bet on advancing deep into the tournament have reaped the benefits of their base camp choices. But can England reap any rewards from their gruelling schedule? With three individual round trips longer than France's total travel, this could be a decisive factor if they're to meet in the final.