Telegraph e-paper

England star berates father for sartorial own goal

Jack Grealish bans his dad from wearing a Union flag waistcoat and bow-tie in stands at the World Cup

By Matt Law in Doha

HE MAY be worth millions and at the peak of his career, but Jack Grealish has shown that even footballers playing in the World Cup are not immune to being embarrassed by their parents.

Grealish, 27, expressed a sentiment many fans can share in when he spoke of his dismay at his father’s decision to wear a “lucky” Union flag waistcoat while watching England in Qatar.

England this week qualified from Group B in the tournament by winning two games and drawing in another. Manchester City forward Grealish appeared as a substitute in all of them.

His father, Kevin, attended all three of England’s Group B games dressed in the waistcoat and bow-tie, though Jack’s mother, Karen, later made him remove the tie. Now, as the team gears up for Sunday’s last-16 game against Senegal, Grealish has made it clear he would prefer his dad ditched the waistcoat – even if it has been “lucky”. Grealish said: “What’s he doing with that? I said, ‘what are you wearing there?’”

Dismayed, he added: “He had a little bow-tie as well, but my mum told him to take it off. I don’t know where he got it from, it looks like something from the market, doesn’t it? I don’t know where he’s got it from and he keeps wearing it as well. What’s he doing wearing that, man? I think he thinks it’s his lucky charm.”

Grealish and the rest of the England players were able to meet up with their families after Tuesday’s victory over Wales that sealed the team’s place in the knockout stage, having welcomed them into camp after the draw with the United States, their second game. England players have also been given time at the end of each game to speak with their loved ones in the stands at stadiums.

Putting his father’s patriotic outfit aside, Grealish said he was pleased the players get to spend time with their families. “It’s nice because we don’t see them much whilst we’re here,” said Grealish. “I think some of the countries are with their families, staying with them. We’re not, which is good… not good, obviously we want to see them, but I think it’s good to have the team together and it’s nice we can go and see them after the games, to spend some time with them, especially when it’s a good result. It’s nice vibes.”

Along with his mum and dad, Grealish’s sister, Hollie, who has cerebral palsy, has travelled out to Qatar to watch Jack at the World Cup.

Grealish caught the nation’s attention when he performed a special celebration for an 11-year-old Manchester City fan called Finlay after scoring his firstever World Cup goal against Iran in England’s first game of the tournament.

Back at England’s al-wakrah base, Grealish video-called Finlay to make it clear that the celebration had been for him. “That’s natural, I don’t do that for any clout or whatever,” he said. “I do that because that’s what I feel I’m good at sometimes. Because I can relate to it with my little sister.

“It was a nice thing for him as well. Because it was so popular, it’s nice for him because he’ll go back to school and he’ll probably be quite popular.

“That was just something that came naturally. I think it ended up being so nice and quite emotional. That’s just the way I’ve been brought up. I know I’ve been brought up well. I’ve got a good heart, I think. Obviously, I’ve done some stupid stuff in my life, but I think everything that I do good is from my heart.”

News

en-gb

2022-12-02T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-12-02T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://dailytelegraph.pressreader.com/article/281616719391234

Daily Telegraph