Dan Burn is thirty-four years old. This is probably his only World Cup. And he is absolutely determined to enjoy every second of it.
The giant defender from Blyth spent the last World Cup stuck in an Airbnb in Newcastle while his house was being renovated. This time around, he is living a completely different kind of experience. One that involves cowboy hats, country music, and a front-row seat to Thomas Tuchel throwing a ceremonial first pitch at a Kansas City Royals game.
Burn, along with Harry Kane and Djed Spence, took in the Royals game against the St. Louis Cardinals. It was a nice bit of downtime between England’s win over Croatia and their upcoming match against Ghana. But Burn went deeper into the American experience than just baseball.
Ella Langley and the Cowboy Hat That Almost Wasn’t Photographed
“Last night Ella Langley was playing so I had my cowboy hat and cowboy boots on,” Burn said. “I went and got kitted out. I thought if you were going to do it, do it properly. Luckily, there’s no photos flying about.”
That might be a shame for the rest of us. An image of the six-foot-seven center-back in full Stetson mode would have been legendary. But Burn was not the only one enjoying the show. Captain Jason Steele joined him at the gig. And it turns out Kane is also a fan of the genre.
“We have a record player in the hotel and he did a captain’s pick and there was a lot of country in it,” Burn said. “We got asked to go and watch Ella Langley.”
Kane did not match Burn’s fashion commitment though. “I was the only person suited and booted with cowboy hat and boots and all the lot,” the defender said. “We missed the last three songs because we had to be back for curfew which I was a bit gutted about because they are her three best ones.”
Tuchel’s Honesty and a Potential Walk-Off Dream
Burn’s role in this squad is clear. Tuchel told him straight up when he called him up that he probably would not be starting. That kind of honesty is part of why Burn appreciates his manager.
“He takes the mick out of me but I like it,” Burn said. And Burn has known Tuchel’s assistant Anthony Barry for years, going back to their time together at Wigan. “There’s no grey areas with Baz and the manager. They are not going to beat around the bush.”
Tuchel has also been clear about the specific situations where Burn might get called into action. One of them is if England needs a goal. Burn’s size makes him a weapon on set pieces. He already scored the winner for Newcastle in their first major trophy win since 1969. He has imagined doing the same for England.
“Me and Harry are quite similar in our technique and goalscoring prowess, so it is only natural we are compared,” Burn deadpanned. Then, more seriously: “I know I don’t get many goals but the goals I do get tend to be important. I’d love it to be a World Cup final winner, last minute.”
Even without stepping on the field, Burn’s World Cup has already given him memories. The England fans sang Oasis’ Wonderwall after the Croatia win in Dallas. Burn was there for it.
“Wonderwall was an amazing moment, a special moment,” he said. “If that’s every game it’s going to be amazing.”
From country concerts to baseball first pitches to a potential late-game hero moment, Burn is making the most of a tournament that might never come around again. And if he ever gets that chance at the last minute, at least we know he will have the right boots for it.
Leave a Comment