England fans criticise Ed Sheeran's 'depressing' private concert for team at Euros 2024

Ed Sheeran gave the Euro 2024 England team a private concert after their 2-1 victory over Slovakia on Sunday.

The 33-year-old singer visited the team’s camp in Blankenhain to perform for them, which saw player Jude Bellingham and captain Harry Kane in attandance.

Manager Gareth Southgate arranged Sheeran's visit as part of efforts to make the tournament enjoyable for the players.

However, fans noted that the athletes appeared less than enthusiastic during the Grammy winner’s performance.

In footage circling on social media, Sheeran is seen at the front of the room, strumming an acoustic guitar and singing his song The A Team, known for its poignant lyrics, tells the story of a homeless woman battling addiction.

“Lately, her face seems slowly sinking, wasting, crumbling like pastries. And they scream, the worst things in life come free to us,” he sang as several expressionless players filmed on their phones.

After the video went viral online, England fans took to X to comment on whether Sheeran’s performance had the morale-boosting effect Southgate intended, as the squad prepares for their next game against Switzerland on Saturday.

One penned: “Got these boys looking depressed, no wonder the football’s looking terrible.”

“Aren’t the players already depressed enough?” another quipped,

A third then claimed: “Yeah we’re going out [of the tournament] boys.”

This isn't the first time Sheeran has performed for the England team. In 2020, he played for the squad before their final against Italy, a match they ultimately lost on penalties.

Appearing on BBC’s Crouchy’s Year-Late Euros, Sheeran described a private performance he gave to the England squad at a barbecue in 2021 as one of the best moments of his career.

He told Peter Crouch at the time: “At the end of the night, we’re in a circle, all hands around,” recalled the singer. “I mean for me, just as an English boy, being in the centre of the England team, it was really great.

“I’ve had amazing moments in my life, but I don’t think there’s many moments that will top that.”