England enjoy final Euro 2024 rest day as focus turns from fun to graft | OneFootball

One last chance to put their feet up before the business end of the tournament

Tuesday was a total rest day for England's squad and staff, a chance for the players to switch off from the daily grind of training, meetings and media duties.

At lunchtime, FA staff faced the English press pack at 11-a-side on a local pitch near their remote base here. What is the point when Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink, the former Premier League Golden Boot winner who is now one of Gareth Southgate's coaches, plays 90 minutes? The FA ran out 7-0 winners, Hasselbaink scoring twice.

Kieran Trippier took charge of the FA's team, barking orders from the sidelines. He is plainly a leader in camp and on excellent terms with the staff. Other members of the squad, including Kyle Walker, Ezri Konsa, Adam Wharton and, briefly, Jude Bellingham stopped by to watch. Cole Palmer and Kobbie Mainoo appeared on BMXs, hoods up, resembling bored teenagers in the holidays.

Class is permanent: Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink scored two against a press team

Adam Davy/PA Wire

At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the players were so bored, Jermain Defoe and Wayne Rooney spent an afternoon watching Rooney's entire wedding video in his hotel room, but there is no shortage of entertainment for the squad here.

They have watched the other Euros matches when possible and played basketball, golf and darts. The players were impressed by Georgia and Austria, both now out.

There has been a staff padel tournament. Southgate and his partner, kit-man Pat Frost, are preparing for the final. Palmer had never played it before but is now obsessed. Wharton, a tennis player, is the standout.

The previous friends and family day, immediately after the dour 1-1 draw with Denmark in the group stage, went on for seven hours and was hectic. Yesterday's free time was more relaxed, with players given the freedom to escape camp and explore the surrounding area.

Bellingham was mobbed by teenagers on a family trip to nearby Erfurt

Bellingham went to nearby Erfurt, where most of the media are based, with his family. He was mobbed by local teenagers and effectively needed a police escort to get back to his car.

Some staff, all of whom will go the duration of England's tournament without seeing friends and family, went on a 35km bike ride to Weimar.

The schedule has allowed for this downtime, enabling Southgate to use Monday as a recovery day, with pool work for the players who were involved in the dramatic last-16 win over Slovakia before yesterday's free-for-all.

On Wednesday morning, Southgate and the players were back at it on the training pitches, with three clear days to prepare for Saturday's quarter-final against Switzerland.

A breath-work recovery session with the England squad

The FA via Getty Images

A week between matches is rare in international football at tournaments. The question is whether Southgate can use the week as a reset, to make the necessary tweaks or fundamental changes to spark his stuttering team into life. He has the breathing space to work on a thorough game-plan for the Swiss, to bed in a new formation if he wants.

It is a particularly important week for Luke Shaw, who will address the media later today. England's only recognised left-back in Germany is hoping to prove to Southgate that he is fit enough to play a significant role in Saturday's game.

If England are to regroup, reset and recover, now is their chance to do it. If they beat Switzerland, they will play the semi-final in Dortmund a week today, and the final is in Berlin on Sunday, July 14. The time for fun and games is over.