World Cup 2022: Dave the cat coming home with England team

The Three Lions didn't roar to World Cup victory, but a caller subordinate of the squad volition beryllium coming location with them.

Fleet-footed Dave the Cat volition beryllium swapping Qatari warmth for English chill - and conscionable successful clip for the January transportation window.

The purring predator has won hearts arsenic the players' unofficial mascot.

They primitively said they'd bring stray Dave backmost if they won the trophy, but decided to rehome him anyhow contempt their quarter-final heartbreak.

Manchester City duo John Stones and Kyle Walker person been Dave's biggest fans, posting regular updates and pictures of the feline astir evenings.

"First time we got determination ... Dave pops out," said Stones.

"Every nighttime he's sat determination waiting for his food."

"He was conscionable determination 1 time truthful we've conscionable adopted him, maine and Stonesy," Walker told the FA's authoritative media channel.

Dave became a regular fixture astatine the team's meal table, wherever Walker says helium was "welcome" - but not everyone agreed.

"Some radical truly don't similar the cat, but I emotion him."

One of those rumoured to leap successful the aerial erstwhile Dave arrives is Bukayo Saka.

John Stones claims to person travel up with the moggy's no-nonsense moniker "because it's conscionable a bully name".

And helium took to calling him "Big Dave" aft the four-legged meal impermanent started to get a spot "greedy".

Stray cats are a communal show astir restaurants and hotels successful big federation Qatar.

Dave has won not conscionable the hearts of the England players, but besides the attraction of the world's media - with questions astir him successful the week gathering up to the quarter-final against France.

And, possibly inspired by the play of that game, Dave precocious got into "a small scrap with different cat", according to Walker.

"Fighting implicit territory and the food. But he's doing well."

Dave joins an illustrious database of celebrated animals who person carved a peculiar spot successful the hearts of the English public.

One of those has already tweeted his excitement astatine his impending arrival.

Dave near Al Wakrah conscionable 2 hours aft the squad had departed and volition archetypal caput to a section vet.

There helium volition person a humor trial and person vaccinations, spending 4 months successful quarantine earlier heading to his caller digs.

So portion shot whitethorn not beryllium coming home, Dave the feline is.

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