SkyJo becomes part of England’s off-field bonding routine

England’s players are using downtime games, including SkyJo, as part of their effort to build squad unity during the World Cup. Morgan Rogers told BBC Sport that Jude Bellingham brought the card game into camp and that several teammates have quickly become keen on it.

SkyJo is a numbers-based card game where the aim is to keep the score low, with the winner decided once a player passes 100 points. Rogers said he played with Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Dan Burn, Anthony Gordon and Elliot Anderson, and noted that he came out on top.

The games sit alongside other efforts to keep the squad settled at their Kansas City basecamp, where England have already spent two weeks and could remain longer if their tournament continues. Staff have also added personal touches to rooms and players have taken part in leisure activities away from training.

The lighter moments also add a human angle to selection pressure. Rogers and Bellingham are close off the pitch but are also competing for a similar attacking role, making England’s camp culture an interesting subplot as the tournament develops.