England Players Adopt Cat from Qatar After 2022 World Cup Upset: 'He Was Just There One Day'

Glenn Garner
·2 min read
9
(left to right, back to front) England's Kyle Walker, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, Harry Maguire, Jordan Henderson, John Stones. Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Luke Shaw before the FIFA World Cup Quarter-Final match at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar. Picture date: Saturday December 10, 2022. (Photo by Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
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Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty

Although England didn't take home a trophy from the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a couple of the team's players left Qatar with a new furry friend.

Manchester City's Kyle Walker and John Stones — who also played for England during the World Cup — adopted a stray tabby cat named Dave after befriending the feline at their World Cup training base in Al Wakrah, according to ESPN. The adoption news broke following England's 2-1 loss against France at Saturday's World Cup quarterfinal match.

"He was just there one day, so we've just adopted him, me and Stonesy," Walker, 32, told the Football Association's official media channel, according to ESPN. "Dave is welcome to the table ... Some people really don't like the cat, but I love him."

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"First day we got there ... Dave pops out. Every night he sat there waiting for his food," added Stones, 28, who came up with Dave's name.

Although The Guardian reported that Walker originally planned to adopt Dave if England was triumphant at the World Cup, they grew too attached and decided to bring the pet home anyway.

Dave will spend four months in quarantine before moving into his forever home with the Team England footballers.

"They're still undecided as who's having him, but he's going back," a woman said in a video of Dave being transported to his quarantine home.

Walker previously told reporters that Dave was involved in a fight with another cat ahead of the team's final match with France, The Guardian reported. "Dave's fine, thank you for asking," he said.

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Although England's World Cup dreams were dashed, the team and manager Gareth Southgate were met with some words of encouragement from Prince William after Saturday's loss.

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"Gareth, Harry and the whole @England squad and staff, gutted for all of you," the Prince of Wales wrote. "You put so much into this tournament, and we are all so proud of you. Heads held high and on to the next one! W."