England gamers’ garments spill onto the tarmac at Birmingham Airport

Bungling baggage handlers at Birmingham Airport let the England players’ clothes spill out onto the tarmac before they flew to compete in Euro 2024. 

The England Squad flew out to Germany today from Birmingham, armed with PlayStations, iPads and moisturisers, expecting a relaxing trip before the start of the competition. 

After a long day training at St. George’s Park in Burton-on-Trent, where they met with Prince William, the last thing they were expecting was to see their crisp white T-shirts scattered over the runway at the airport. 

But the new photos showed their luggage strewn across the concrete underneath the plane they flew on to the Erfurt-Weimar Airport. 

Black and white clothes can be seen collecting dirt on the ground beneath the plane, with one shocking picture apparently showing a baggage handler stepping on top of one of the players’ clothes. 

Players’ bags were seen precariously leaning out of trolleys used to transport their luggage onto the plane’s hold, and several were spotted lying haphazardly on the floor. 

Cardboard boxes filled with items needed by players and support staff alike, meanwhile, were crushed, and were awkwardly stacked on top of each other.  

The airport, which served more than 11million people in 2023 alone, has faced snaking queues in recent weeks, after it was revealed that nearly one in five bags that went through its security failed the new 100ml liquid rule that was quietly reintroduced on Sunday by the government. 

Airport bosses said that 18% of all bags that passed through its doors failed to comply with the rules, leading to an additional 20-minute wait for offending passengers. 

But as star athletes, the England Squad, headed up by Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, were perhaps expecting a less stressful journey in the leadup to their latest shot at bringing home the first piece of silverware in 58 years.

The players were kitted out in all-black Nike gear, complete with official England badges as they made their way down the runway.

They wore black tracksuit shorts and trousers, black t-shirts with an England badge and Nike swoosh down the middle, as well as Nike tracksuit jackets as they departed St George’s Park and boarded their plane.

Players posed for pictures in front of the plane as they made their way up the steps, with the squad and Gareth Southgate all smiles.

Captain Harry Kane risked being the brunt of his team-mates’ jollity when was asked what his essential travel item was that he had packed to take to Germany.

‘What have I packed in my bag? I am boring. I have got the basics like iPad, headphones and a bit of face moisturiser. The missus will be happy with that.’

Former England women’s star Jill Scott then asked him: ‘So if you look good, you play good?’

Kane replied: ‘Exactly, that’s how it goes.’

But England’s all-time leading goal scorer said the team were serious about bringing the European Championship trophy home next month.

He said the ‘perfect combination’ was him winning the Golden Boot and leading England to victory, but he would still be happy if he didn’t score and ‘England brought it home.’

Declan Rice of Arsenal packed his PlayStation and said: ’We all have them, without them we would be lost.’

But he added: ‘It is a privilege and honour and it feels very real now. It is proper now.

‘We want to make history. I know we say it all the time, but we genuinely have a group and a manager who really believe.

‘We have a confidence that we can go there and do something really special. And of course, with that comes hard work. That is going to be the main thing. 

‘Hard work as a team, unity and togetherness and with everyone behind us at home, we are going to feel that for sure.

‘So stick with us, be positive and let us see what happens.’

He said he enjoyed spending hours with his team mates ‘talking nonsense’ and Love Island was always a topic.

Pickford was spotted leaving for the coach to the airport with a personalised rucksack featuring a picture of himself on the back beneath the Wembley arches, complete with his initials ‘JP’ and the names ‘Megs’ and ‘Arlo’.

England of course head to Germany as one of the favourites given the depth in quality that Southgate can call upon, although they have not won a major tournament since 1966.

They come into the tournament off the back of two underwhelming friendly performances against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland, winning the former but suffering a morale-bruising 1-0 defeat by the latter on Friday.

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, 19, revealed one of his luxuries he had planned was his favourite ‘old slippers,’ as he prepares for his first major tournament away with the senior side.

He said he was ‘buzzing’ when he found out he had been selected for his country in his first season in the Premier League and was happy to share the news with his supportive overjoyed father.

The players signed autographs and chatted with fans at St George’s Park before boarding a coach to their plane which lands in Germany tonight.

The team will make a luxury hotel in Blankenhain their base while battling to end nearly 60 years of footballing hurt for England.

At the the Weimarer Land Spa and Golf Resort, which England have paid approximately £850,000 for, the players will find three golf, a padel court and even a robot called Robbie, who only speaks German, to serve the players and collect their dishes.

Dozens of local residents, and police, had been eagerly awaiting their arrival. 

The airport’s viewing terrace was packed with excited residents 90 minutes before the team, 3-1 favourites for the tournament, touched down. 

Student Camryn Lang, 22, travelled to the airport with childhood friend Jenny Pabst, also 22, and each were keen to see the striker.

Camryn, who is studying social sciences and history at the University of Erfurt, said: ‘This is the most exciting thing to happen here for ages’.

Asked if they could name any other England players, Camryn volunteered Raheem Sterling, who did not make the squad, and Jude Bellingham, while kindergarten worker Jenny could only come up with Harry Maguire, who misses the tournament through injury.

The two young women, who went to school together, arrived at the regional airport an hour-and-three-quarters before the England party landed, joining a handful of plane spotters and the other local fans also populating the viewing gallery.

They included Micele Alter, 36, and daughter Malica, aged six, and Micele’s friend Sven Meister, 34. Both men – who had taken the day off from their roles at the airport in order to look out for the football stars – also said they were most keen on spotting Kane, 30.