England's Burn swaps football boots for cowboy boots during break between games

England defender Dan Burn traded his football boots for cowboy boots and hat during a break from the World Cup, embracing a chance to relax and enjoy country music in Kansas City. The Newcastle United player, making his major tournament debut at 34, joined captain Harry Kane and goalkeeper Jason Steele at an Ella Langley concert.

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I like country music so I had a cowboy hat on and cowboy boots, luckily there's no photos kicking about.

Burn, who stands at six-foot-seven, admitted to kitting himself out properly for the experience. "I like country music so I had a cowboy hat on and cowboy boots, luckily there's no photos kicking about," he told reporters. He stressed, however, that the outing was not an all-night affair, with the group leaving before the end of the show to meet curfew.

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I wouldn't call it a 'night out,'

The England squad is prioritizing relaxation between matches and training sessions. Burn noted the team has struck a healthy balance between focus and downtime, a contrast to previous World Cups where players reportedly complained of boredom. The team has been utilizing the hotel basketball court, and games like backgammon and cards are also popular.

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I feel like I've got a lot of experience as a player, but zero in these sort of tournaments. So for me it's just about getting that balance between when I'm training, I'm really focused. But away from football, I'm sort of trying to relax.

Despite a 4-2 victory over Croatia in their opening game, England's defense, particularly in the first half, has drawn scrutiny. "Nobody wants to concede goals," Burn said, acknowledging areas for improvement. "So, there's things to work on, but I think that throughout qualifying we've been pretty good defensively ... just hope putting those things right on the next game."

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Nobody wants to concede goals. Two probably very different goals. I think the first goal we've lost possession in an area where we wouldn't want to, sort of reacting to that was players out of position. So, there's things to work on, but I think that throughout qualifying we've been pretty good defensively ... just hope putting those things right on the next game.