England sent their fans – and WAGs – into despair and boredom after a disappointing 0-0 draw with Slovenia in last night’s crunch Euros clash.
The Three Lions were met with fury from supporters for the second game in a row, following their abysmal display against Denmark, as they limped through to the knock-out stages following a drab performance in Cologne Stadium in Germany.
Enraged fans threw empty beer cups at manager Gareth Southgate and booed the team off the pitch during their lap of honour. Supporters were seen making obscene hand gestures and shouting at the coach as he applauded the supporters – while the boring match appeared to send others to sleep.
The players started strong and kept possession of the ball in the first few minutes of the game, before Bukayo Saka’s disallowed goal left the Captain Harry Kane’s side nervous for the remainder of the clash – wasting countless opportunities to score.
The match had been overshadowed by yet another distracting off-field WAG drama after Kieran Trippier’s wife sent a cryptic social media post and unfollowed him on Instagram. The England camp has been trying in vain to keep a lid on stories about Kyle Walker’s marital blow-up to allow the vice captain to concentrate on his football after both wife Annie Kilner and ex-lover Lauryn Goodman attended the last game versus Denmark.
Tripper’s home life was thrust into the limelight hours before the clash when it was revealed his wife Charlotte, 33, had posted on Instagram: ‘Sooner or later you get over the s*** you swore you’d never get over and it’s the best feeling in the world.’ Hours earlier, Charlotte post a short film of herself enjoying ‘some calm’ before the school run on her Instagram story, which she has since deleted. The video showed her in a dressing gown looking into the camera pensively
Last week, England’s draw against Denmark was overshadowed as Lauryn and Annie both showed up to watch Walker play.
Yesterday’s match left devoted fans wondering if they would continue to cheer on Southgate’s men after making the costly journey to Germany to support England.
England had already made it through to the last-16 stage with a game to spare, but last night’s match means they will avoid France, Spain, Germany and Portugal – and will either face the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Turkey or Georgia at 5pm on Sunday.
Footage posted on X shows furious England fans lobbing empty cups at Gareth Southgate after the match
Jude Bellingham sits with his mother Denise Bellingham and father Mark Bellingham in the stands at full-time
An England supporter at Cologne Stadium appears to fall asleep during the match
Gareth Southgate applauds the fans after the match, but some throw empty beer cups at him
Southgate with players after England’s disappointing draw with Slovenia
England fans celebrating before Bukayo Saka’s goal was ruled offside in the first half
Fans inside the stadium held their breath as they hopelessly waited for their team to slot a winner
An England fan looks disappointed as she reacts to the match between England and Slovenia
A young Three Lions supporter looks less than impressed with his country’s performance
England fans in Greenwich, London, look annoyed after Saka’s goal was ruled offside in the first half of the game
Unimpressed England fans watch the match against Slovenia in Cologne, Germany
An England fan yawns while he watches on as Southgate’s side failed to score a goal
Fans took to X to slam England’s ‘boring’ and ‘abysmal’ performance against Slovenia
Harry Kane embraces wife Katie Goodland in the stands, following the team’s draw against Slovenia
Saka reacts after his goal was disallowed during England’s match against Slovenia
Saka celebrates what he thinks is the first goal before it is ruled out for offside
Football fans celebrate at Wembley Boxpark as England appear to score against Slovenia before Saka’s goal was ruled offside
An England fan during a screening of the Euro 2024 Group C match between England and Slovenia at The Big Shed at Trent Navigation in Nottingham
England fans at BOXPark Wembley in London react watching the Euro 2024 Group C match between England and Slovenia
Jude Bellingham during the Euro 2024 Group C match between England and Slovenia
Saka reacts after scoring a goal as it is disallowed following an offside decision
Jan Mlakar of Slovenia, Saka, and Erik Janza of Slovenia in action during the game
Jordan Pickford during England’s crucial clash against Slovenia at Cologne Stadium in Germany
Southgate talks with Kobbie Mainoo of England during the match against Slovenia
England captain Harry Kane during the clash between England and Slovenia at Cologne Stadium
Kane with the ball as the Three Lions play against Slovenia at Cologne Stadium
Slovenia’s Petar Stojanovic in action with Phil Foden at the match in Germany
Pickford during England’s match against Slovenia in Cologne
Bellingham during the Group C match between England and Slovenia at Euro 2024
Following the game, England players were consoled by their emotional family members and glamorous WAGs.
Jude Bellingham’s parents looked close to tears as they comforted the midfielder in the stands after the team’s ‘abysmal’ sleepwalk into the Euro 2024 knock out stages at Cologne Stadium.
Stunning Dani Dyer, who donned a white England shirt, sympathetically leaned on her partner Jarrod Bowen following the game as they appeared to engage in a serious conversation.
Ollie Wilkins was greeted with a kiss from his long-term girlfriend Ellie Anderson in the stands, while Harry Kane beamed as he gave his wife a huge bear hug and draped a red jacket over her shoulders.
A fed-up looking Phil Foden was seen sat between his mother Claire Rowlands and father as the stadium cleared while Cole Palmer was given plenty of hugs from his family members.
During the game, goalie Jordan Pickford’s wife Meghan was seen reading her phone, as well as Wilkins’ partner – while Bukayo Sako’s girlfriend Tolami Benson stared up at the crowd above and treated herself to an ice cream mid-match.
Bellingham speaks with his mother Denise Bellingham and father Mark Bellingham after the match
Dani Dyer, who donned a white England shirt, sympathetically leaned on her partner Jarrod Bowen following the game
A fed-up looking Foden was seen sitting between his mother and father
Cole Palmer was given plenty of hugs from his family members following yesterday’s game
Ollie Watkins’ girlfriend Ellie Anderson appeared to scroll on her phone throughout the boring game
Pickford’s wife Megan Davison was also seen on her phone throughout the game
She was later seen walking through the stands as she looked for her partner following the game
Sako’s girlfriend Tolami Benson treated herself to an ice cream following the dull game
The stunning model appeared to amuse herself with a snack as the stalemate game came to close
Kane beamed as he gave his wife a huge bear hug and draped a red jacket over her shoulders
Conor Gallagher’s girlfriend Aine May Kennedy affectionately wipes his face following the game
Kate watching the Three Lions play against Slovenia
Megan watching the match between England and Slovenia in Cologne
Dani Dyer, girlfriend of Jarrod Bowen, watches on from the stands at Cologne Stadium in Germany
WAGs pose with the names of their husbands and boyfriends printed on their shirts at the clash between England and Germany
Aine May Kennedy, partner of Conor Gallagher, is seen in attendance at the game
Anouska Santos, partner of Luke Shaw, shows her support for the Three Lions at the game
England fans look tense as they watch a screening of England’s match against Slovenia in Newcastle
England players pose for a team photograph just before kick off for their crucial match against Slovenia at Cologne Stadium
One fan Steve Walsh, 21, of Aston, Birmingham, said: ‘We were so boring and Slovenia were supposed to be the underdogs. We looked scared. Southgate needs to wake up and realise he has got the best players in the world.
‘We were like rabbits caught in car headlights. I was behind the England goal in the second half and it was groan after groan nearly everytime we had the ball. What has happened?’
With a flag of St George painted on her face, events manager Charlotte Dale, 32, from Nottingham, said: ‘We may not have won but we’re into the last 16 as group winners and we avoid Germany.
‘There was a lot of negativity in the run up to this game and hopefully this will go some way to silencing that noise.
‘It frustrates me that all of us – the fans, the pundits, everyone – seem to have no middle ground as far as England is concerned.
‘If we win we’re the best in the world and should be beating everyone 5-0. If we lose we’re suddenly ‘s***’, as Gary Lineker said.
‘The truth is probably always somewhere in between. Most people would have taken a group win before the tournament. No-one will want to play us.’
Fans in the UK had ditched work early to bag the best seats in local boozers and screening venues as they remained hopeful about their team’s shaky fate – but were left bitterly ‘bored’ and disappointed.
Earlier on Tuesday, another distracting off-field drama created fury in the England camp as Kieran Trippier’s wife shared a cryptic message on social media.
Charlotte Trippier, 33, wrote in an Instagram story yesterday on the eve of the Slovenia game: ‘Sooner or later you get over the s*** you swore you’d never get over and it’s the best feeling in the world.’
Kyle Walker spits into the air after England’s agonising draw against Slovenia on Tuesday night
A dejected Bellingham is seen on the pitch after the full time whistle
Rice gives a thumbs up to England supporters after England’s group stage match against Slovenia
Southgate speaks to the media in a post match press conference after England’s disappointing draw against Slovenia
Anthony Gordon looks fed up following England’s 0-0 draw against Slovenia
England fans react at the official UEFA Fan Zone during England’s match against Slovenia
Fans watching the game from Benidorm appeared equally unenthused
Fans watching the game in Benidorm appeared tense during the match as they were eager to see their team score a goal
This elderly woman seemed to be in disbelief of what she was watching as she and other fans tuned in from Benidorm
One England fan can be seen with his head in his hands as he watch the game unfold inside the Cologne Stadium
A young England fan reacts after the UEFA Euro 2024 Group C football match between England and Slovenia
England fans looks less than pleased with the team’s performance following their dismal draw against Slovenia
England fans watching the game in Newcastle bury their heads in their hands during the Three Lions’ game against Slovenia
Two England fans watch on in horror as their team fails to get a single goal past Slovenia during their final Euros group match
England fans react as they watch the match at Boxpark Wembley in London
A fan holds his hands on his head as he reacts during England’s game against Slovenia
A young fan rubs his eye as he watches the England game inside Cologne Stadium
England fans at Central Park, Newcastle, watching a screening of the Euro 2024 Group C match between England and Slovenia
England fans during a screening of the match between England and Slovenia at The Big Shed at Trent Navigation in Nottingham
England fans at Central Park, Newcastle, watching a screening Euro 2024 Group C match between England and Slovenia
The profile belonging to her Newcastle star husband did not come up in the list of accounts she was following this morning, leading social media users to claim she had unfollowed him – although Trippier still follows her.
Charlotte has decided to remain in the UK with her three children during the tournament, while WAGs that have travelled to Germany include Kyle Walker’s wife Annie Kilner and – controversially – his former lover Lauryn Goodman.
Lauryn, 33, became embroiled in a paternity scandal earlier this year when it emerged the footballer, 34, had fathered her ten-month-old daughter while being married to Annie, 32.
After the full-time whistle, fans could even be seen appearing to throw empty cups at the England manager as he went to clap the travelling supporters.
England fans who watched the game at Pop Brixton in South London were left fuming at Gareth Southgate’s negative tactics.
Chris Appleton, 43, from Hove, Sussex, said: ‘Southgate doesn’t learn from past mistakes, he always plays Foden on the left. He doesn’t know his best team yet and we’re now in the knock-out rounds. It’s worrying.
‘Even though the subs he made were good, he hasn’t got the guts to start any of them. I can’t see us winning the tournament because we don’t seem to be growing as a team.
Charlotte and Kieran Trippier are childhood sweethearts, who married in June 2016 and have three children
Charlotte wrote in an Instagram story yesterday: ‘Sooner or later you get over the s*** you swore you’d never get over and it’s the best feeling in the world’
Dani Dyer looks on during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between England and Slovenia
Denise Bellingham and Mark Bellingham in the stands prior to England’s match against Slovenia
Denise, seen ahead of England’s clash against Slovenia
‘We’ve won the group and have a favourable side of the draw but I’m not confident going into any game now and it seems like it’ll be another wasted opportunity.’
Christian Kemp, 46, from Tulse Hill, London was in equally unforgiving mood.
He joked: ‘Same old Safegate! He never mixes it up, just sticks to the same tired old tactics.
‘You’ve got to attack teams like Slovenia, games like this are such a good opportunity to turn it on. All the confidence has drained from me. I think the first knock-out game is 50-50 as to whether we’ll win
‘We’ve not been tested by one of the top teams yet. I can’t see us getting a result against one at the moment.
‘The only slight positivity is that we didn’t concede tonight. But with all that attacking flair we have we’ve not been anywhere near good enough further up the pitch. The subs came on too late and Ollie Watkins remained on the bench when Kane looked tired and languid.’
In Magaluf, while a party atmosphere prevailed at half time, with the crowd singing Sweet Caroline and Vindaloo, the full-time whistle was met with complete silence in the resort’s fanzone.
Fans look on disappointed in a fan zone in Cologne after England drew 0-0 with Slovenia
Many fans will now be wondering whether that performance will warrant their hangover
Many fans watched for the duration of the game with their hands on their heads
England fans react after Saka’s disallowed goal in the first half of the match
Supporters pictured at The Big Shed at Trent Navigation in Nottingham
It was a tense opening half for England as many fans looked on in disappointment
Fans have their hands on the head after England’s opener was disallowed
Slovenia enjoyed a number of dangerous chances in front of England’s goal in the first half
Two young England fans agreed that the only answer was to find a new manager. ‘We had possession most of the game but did nothing with it,’ said Jack Richards, 18 from Leighton Buzzard.
‘Southgate needs to go – that’s the only answer I can see. He doesn’t seem to believe in himself and he’s not taking his own decisions.’
His friend Tommy Beerman, also 18, added: ‘The team is ok he just needs to play people in their normal positions. There’s so much potential there, but he doesn’t seem to be getting the best out of them.’
After the match ended, most England fans walked away in search of more fun in the bars and nightclubs on the 600m long ‘strip’ which is a magnet for young Brits.
‘We should do well but England have already qualified so they may lay back. I’m confident England will win. I say 2-1 England.
‘Whatever happens I don’t have to get up early tomorrow because I’m not working at the moment, so I’ll be having the day off!’
