World Cup hopes for England have been hit by five players who have shown the Covid vaccine the red card and are refusing to be jabbed
- Five England players are refusing to get the Covid vaccine, it has been claimed
- Three of the anti-vax players are senior squad members who played at Euros
- Qatar World Cup organisers plan to ban unvaccinated players from competing
England’s hopes of winning the 2022 World Cup have been hit as it has been revealed that five players are refusing to get the Covid jab.
A source told The Sun that at least five England players are refusing to be vaccinated with three senior squad members among the rebels.
One footballer claimed that he was too ‘young and fit’ to be negatively affected by the virus, while another player reportedly believes the anti-vaxxer ‘conspiracy theories’ about the vaccine.
The rest of the players are are said to have been ‘pressured’ not to get the jab by their wives or girlfriends who are against the vaccine.
Gareth Southgate’s (pictured) hopes of winning the 2022 World Cup have been hit as it has been revealed that at least five England players are refusing to get the Covid jab
However, with World Cup organisers planning to ban all unvaccinated players from competing next year in Qatar, coach Gareth Southgate will have to decide whether to try and convince the players to take jabs or face the prospect of leaving them them out.
Three of the players are senior squad members who were part of England’s run to the European Championship final this summer.
England are on course to qualify for the World Cup this month if they beat Andorra and Hungary, but any players who do not take a Covid jab will be unable to join the team in Qatar.
Despite the possibility of being banned from the World Cup, the players are reportedly ‘refusing to change course’ and anti-vax arguments are being widely discussed in player’s dressing rooms and in Whatsapp groups.
According to the Sun, a club doctor said: ‘Some of the stuff they’re reading — and believing — on the internet is incredible.
‘Players are saying it will make them infertile, that it’s part of a plot involving Bill Gates, that the pandemic is just propaganda.’
Among the five England players refusing to be vaccinated, three are senior squad members who played at the Euros 2020 this summer (Wembley Stadium pictured)
One footballer claimed that he was too ‘young and fit’ to be negatively affected by the virus, while another player reportedly believes the anti-vax ‘conspiracy theories’ about the vaccine
This comes after Sportsmail revealed there is widespread opposition to vaccines among Premier League footballers.
Almost two-thirds of top-flight players are yet to be fully jabbed and many are refusing altogether.
Club officials are complaining that dressing rooms have been ‘polluted’ by senior players spreading conspiracy theories involving Bill Gates, infertility and the power of vitamins.
The Government’s warning last month that compulsory certification could be introduced at one week’s notice had sparked alarm as the Premier’s League’s vaccination crisis shows no sign of abating.
The League remain concerned as the limited nature of many clubs’ vaccination programmes increases the chances of damaging Covid outbreaks, but they have been reassured after receiving more details of the Government’s winter plan.
World Cup officials are planning to ban any non-vaccinated players from competing in Qatar. Pictured: Lusail Stadium, a 80,000-capacity venue that will host the FIFA World Cup 2022 final
Southgate is in favour of vaccines and took part in an advert to ramp up the inoculation drive earlier this summer but is now reluctant to talk about the issue after facing a stream of online abuse.
The England manager said in August: ‘I’m not going to get too involved in this because I was asked to do a video supporting the vaccination programme, which I thought was responsible, and of all the things I’ve received abuse for over the summer — of which there’s been several — that’s the one I’ve received the most abuse over.
‘When you want to try to make a difference, and take the right sort of stance on taking the knee and other things, you know you are not going to please everybody and there are extreme views on lots of those subjects.
‘I’m comfortable with that but I’m not going to town on things like the vaccine in particular. I’m always happy to support the greater good.’
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