England World Cup chaos as boots, balls and training kit stolen days before Croatia clash

England's World Cup preparations have been thrown into disarray after match boots, official tournament balls and vital training equipment were stolen from a vehicle transporting the squad's gear to Kansas City.

The theft occurred while cargo was being moved from the team's pre-tournament base in West Palm Beach, Florida, to Swope Soccer Village in Missouri.

Thomas Tuchel's side had been due to begin training at their World Cup headquarters on Saturday afternoon, with the facility set to serve as England's base for at least the next three weeks.

Sources told the Daily Mail that only a single football remained from the shipment, with fears that boots belonging to star players including Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham may have been taken.

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An arrest has been made in connection with the incident.

The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department said: "We are investigating a possible theft of equipment from a team vehicle that arrived in Kansas City with items missing this evening.

"The investigation is ongoing."

Security staff within the England camp reportedly suspect the drivers responsible for transporting the cargo may have played a role in the theft.

The Football Association is now working with local law enforcement in a bid to recover the missing equipment.

Officials are also attempting to establish exactly what has been stolen and what remains available ahead of England's opening World Cup match.

The incident represents a major disruption to preparations, with England set to face Croatia in their first fixture on Wednesday.

Among the items being transported from Florida were analysis equipment, tactical whiteboards and massage tables used by Tuchel's coaching staff.

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England officials now face a race against time to recover or replace the missing gear as preparations continue for their bid to win a first World Cup on foreign soil.

Ahead of their tournament opener next year, the Three Lions cruised to an emphatic 6-0 triumph against Miami FC in a closed-doors friendly at their West Palm Beach training base on Thursday.

Tuchel's men absolutely demolished the American second-tier outfit, with five of their goals coming after the break.

Ivan Toney was the star of the show, grabbing himself a hat-trick and making a compelling case for a starting spot at the World Cup.

After facing Croatia in Dallas, England will travel to Boston to take on Ghana before rounding off their group-stage campaign against Panama in New York.

Meanwhile, Scotland are set to face Haiti in Boston at 2am on Sunday.

Steve Clarke's men will be hoping to make their mark in the Tartan Army's first World Cup match since 1998.

They will then take on Morocco at the same venue before concluding their group-stage campaign with a mouth-watering clash against Brazil in Miami.

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