Lions hit the beach ahead of 'Battle of Britain' match

England stars stroll on the sands as they gear up for crunch clash with Wales

- Anthony France in Doha

ENGLAND’S World Cup stars geared up for their crunch “Battle of Britain” match with Wales by hitting the beach — as fans predicted tonight’s clash will be one to remember.

Around 8,000 English supporters and 6,000 Welsh will cheer on the teams at Doha’s Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, with an estimated 16 million TV viewers tuning in at home on BBC One. The match, which kicks off at 7pm UK time, will determine both teams’ World Cup futures.

Ahead of the game, John Stones, Eric Dier and Jude Bellingham were in relaxed mood as they strolled along the sands near their five-star Souq Al Wakra training base.

Later Harry Maguire, Aaron Ramsdale and Callum Wilson joined them for a wander around a nearby souk market. It is believed to be the first time the players have been allowed any downtime outside their hotel in two weeks because of Covid concerns.

England thrashed Iran 6-2 in their first game, but Friday’s 0-0 bore draw with the USA has left them still with a job to do to qualify for the last 16.

Gareth Southgate’s side will advance if they avoid a four-goal defeat, while a win would guarantee top spot. Wales must win and hope Iran and the United States draw in Group B’s other game to stand any chance of progressing,