THOMAS TUCHEL’s England might find themselves caught up in Messi mania at the World Cup.
FA chiefs had earmarked a training base in Kansas City before December’s draw brought group stage games in Dallas, Boston and New York.
That saw Three Lions coaching and medical staff looking at potential alternative sites.
But Kansas City remains a live option ahead of the official Fifa deadline to confirm bases at the end of this month.
And if they do opt for one of the World Cup venue cities, with games played at the Arrowhead Stadium home of the Kansas City Chiefs, it could mean they are one of THREE major sides in the same place.
Holland, due to play group games in Dallas, Houston and Kansas City, have made their bid to pitch camp in the city that stands on the Missouri side of the state’s border with Kansas.
And now Argentina, who had initially been linked with a base in Dallas, are understood to also see Kansas City as their preferred choice.
If so, it would see England’s stars overshadowed by the glow from Argentina’s Lionel Messi, whose move to the MLS with Inter Miami has seen him become the iconic player of his new competition.
The prospect of seeing Messi play has seen prices go through the roof but not prevented full houses across the MLS over the past two seasons.
That suggests fans are more likely to flock to catch a glimpse of Messi ahead of the chance to watch the likes of Harry Kane, Cole Palmer or Jude Bellingham.
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So far there have been few of the training ground venues confirmed, although clues are starting to emerge.
Germany, under Julian Nagelsmann, have opted to base themselves in North Carolina, at the Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem.
Portugal, despite being due to play their group games in Houston and Miami, are set to confirm their base will be in Mexico, on the Riviera Maya near Cancun, a two-three hour hop across the Gulf of Mexico.
And Brazil are set to confirm they will opt for the outskirts of the Big Apple, utilising the New York Red Bulls’ new training facility in Morris Township, New Jersey, around 25 miles west of Manhattan.
