David Seaman, England's former No. 1 goalkeeper, has revealed a secret game the Three Lions played during the 1998 World Cup to stave off boredom. The squad, confined to hotels for days between matches, competed to weave Phil Collins and Genesis song titles into television interviews.
The Game of Song Titles
“We even had a competition to see how many Phil Collins and Genesis song titles we could work into television interviews,” Seaman told Daily Star Sport. “Alan Shearer and David Beckham were really good at it. I tried it once and completely ruined my interview because I spent the whole time thinking about song titles instead of answering the questions!”
Life in the Team Hotel
Seaman explained that players were “effectively locked in the team hotel because, understandably, security don't want you going out.” In 1998, an underground car park was transformed into an amusement arcade with arcade games, dartboards, snooker tables, and driving games. “It was all there to help relieve the boredom because you can only train so much,” he said.
Modern sports science staff now manage training loads to prevent injuries from informal football sessions. “Players always want to mess around with a football, but you can pick up little niggles doing that,” Seaman noted.
Meal Times as Highlights
Seaman joked that meal times became the day's highlight. “Everyone would think: 'Yes, it's time for food.' There were always plenty of snacks available as well, but meals became the main event… Then it was straight back into the games room.”
Memories from Japan 2002
Even during the 2002 World Cup in Japan, one hotel floor was dedicated to games. Seaman recalled hitting a 180 on the dartboard there, calling it “one of my favourite memories from Japan.”
