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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Anthony France

Wives and families enjoy time away from England players on ‘HMS wag’

MSC World Europa features 2,626 cabins, 13 restaurants, a mall, a roller disco rink and the longest dry slide at sea

(Picture: ES Composite)

The England players’ wives and girlfriends have been enjoying the high life on board the £1 billion cruise liner dubbed HMS Wag — after being “banned” from meeting their partners.

Raheem Sterling’s fiancée Paige Milian and Bukayo Saka’s girlfriend Tolami Benson are among those staying on the MSC World Europa, which is docked in Doha’s old harbour — 10 miles from the England team’s hotel. The team were briefly able to catch up with their loved ones after Monday’s 6-2 victory over Iran but have now been told to isolate to prevent any possible spread of Covid.

The “bubble” rule has reportedly been insisted upon by manager Gareth Southgate until after the last group match against Wales on Tuesday.

Tolami Benson, partner of Bukayo Saka (Getty Images)

Property developer Ms Milian and Ms Benson have since demonstrated how they are making the most of the ship’s facilities, which include six swimming pools, 14 ocean-view whirlpools and more than 30 bars and cafes.

Ms Milian posted a picture of the pair enjoying cocktails on board and also showed off videos of Sterling’s children Melody Rose, Thiago and Thai-Cruz jumping into a pool. Alongside a waterslide on the “floating palace”, Ms Milian adds: “Me and Mel are in our element”.

Paige Milian on board MSC World Europa (Paige Milian)

Meanwhile, Georgina Irwin, fiancée of Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, posted a snap of the harbour view from her room and another in a bar.

Welsh Wag Rebecca Naylor, girlfriend of Leicester keeper Danny Ward, took a team photo of eight partners lined up in the cruise ship terminal

The 2,626-cabin ship also has a mall, roller disco rink, children’s clubs, spa and an 11-deck-high helter-skelter slide called The Venom Drop, the longest dry-slide at sea. Guests paying up to £6,000 for holiday packages can also sign up for micro-brewery and mixology classes in its Elixir gin bar.

There are 13 restaurants on board, all open 24/7, including Chef’s Garden Kitchen run by Michelin-starred Niklas Ekstedt.

(Getty Images)

Today, England skipper Harry Kane was set to have a scan on his right ankle ahead of England’s second game of their World Cup campaign against the United States on Friday.

However, his wife Katie seemed relaxed as she shared footage of their daughters Ivy and Vivienne on scooters playfully racing down a Doha street while two boys run alongside them. She added a caption: “Evening scoot with the children.”

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