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Bring home World Cup, says Prince William

(AFP)
Updated: 2006-06-02 14:16

Britain's Prince William said the England football team promised to bring home the World Cup from Germany when he gave them a good luck message at their training camp on Thursday.

Peter Crouch (R) is performing his goal celebration - the 'robot' dance - for Britain's Prince William (front) and the rest of the England World Cup squad during training at Manchester United's Carrington Training centre,June1,2006.[Reuters]

With less than a week before the team flies to Germany, the second-in-line to the throne made a surprise visit to Manchester United's Carrington training ground to meet manager Sven-Goran Eriksson and his players.

Prince William said he was confident Eriksson's team would do well in Germany, but he appealed to the squad to avoid penalties, which have caused England to drop out of three of the last five major competitions.

He also called up the fans to go and support the team and keep the passion up.

The England manager halted Thursday's training session -- preparing for England's final warm-up friendly against Jamaica on Saturday -- to introduce Prince William.

William also talked to injured Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, whose chances of making the finals in Germany on June 9 are touch and go after he broke a bone in his foot in April.

The team flies out to Germany on Monday with the prince expects to watch the opening fixture against Paraguay on June 10 after meeting England fans and local dignitaries in Frankfurt.

His first duty as FA president was attending the FA Cup final between Liverpool and West Ham in Cardiff in May but the Paraguay match will be his first England fixture in that capacity.