Kieran Trippier gave ME a 4/10 rating! CRAIG HOPE's postcard from Erfurt as England's staff took on the media

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So, what was Tuesday’s most surreal moment? Playing 11-a-side against an England team including Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and managed by Kieran Trippier? Taking a penalty with Jude Bellingham watching on? Or, later in the day, sitting outside my hotel room and seeing Jude casually stroll through the secluded courtyard less than 15 feet away? Who else, eh?

Oh, there was also a chance meeting with Conor Gallagher and his very charming family, during which I gave them a quick guide to Erfurt.

But let’s start with the football, England staff versus the media in Blankenhain. After we arrived in dribs and drabs and wearing various kits - West Ham, Scotland, Middlesbrough all on show - it felt like we were in a Carlsberg advert when their team bus pulled up. 

I was convinced Bryan Robson, Peter Reid and Stuart Pearce were about to disembark. Instead, coach Trippier led them off with star striker Hasselbaink not far behind. That felt like 1-0 England straight away.

But then, right from kick-off, after a daring dribble from this correspondent and through-ball to national newspaper colleague Tom Barclay, England were staring at another San Marino moment. Could we bank on Barclay to score? 

Mail Sport's Craig Hope took part in a match between England staff and the media on Tuesday

Kieran Trippier managed the England staff XI to a comprehensive victory

But the media XI got their revenge in the penalty shootout that followed

It was an impressive turnout for the event at England's training base

The connection was sweet but the outcome was sour, England’s keeper making the save to spare their blushes. It might have been different had that gone in… we might have got beat 7-1 instead of 7-0. Hasselbaink scored two, by the way.

Anyway, we finished with a penalty shootout, at which point Bellingham pulled up in a car behind the goal. Cole Palmer, Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton were there too - they looked like kids out for a bike ride in the school holidays. 

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Kyle Walker was in the stands, singing ‘Football’s Coming Home’ on full-time, while Trippier employed some mind games with us media boys during the shootout - ‘he looks nervous, pressure penalty, this’ we could hear him saying, and that was his intention!

Did it work? Not a chance. Not when we had national colleague John ‘The Cat’ Cross in goal, who made a big save in a 5-4 victory for the media. England and penalties, let’s hope that’s not an omen.

Colleague Jonathan Northcroft - the only Scotsman left in Germany - converted his penalty with aplomb, which was surprising, because Scotland have never got as far as penalties before. 

And a special mention for my Mail Sport comrade Oliver Holt, who did something no England player has managed at these Euros - playing left wing, he dribbled by their right back on the outside. It didn’t matter that the ball ran out of play.

Kyle Walker (right) watched on from the stands and was even singing 'Football's Coming Home'

England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo also watched on from the sidelines

Oliver Holt (centre) did better than any England winger at Euro 2024 by dribbling past his man

Trippier gave Hope just a 4/10 rating as he returned the favour for being given the same mark last season following a difficult outing against Chelsea

Afterwards, Trippier gave me a merit mark of 4/10, a chance to exact revenge, he said, for me scoring him the same after a game at Chelsea last season. Ouch, I thought I did OK.

Back to Erfurt and I was recovering on my balcony when - and I thought I’d lost my mind here, delirious after the run-around in the sun - Bellingham walked into the courtyard a few yards below. 

Turns out he had parked his car in my pretty little hotel and was seeing wonderful Erfurt with his parents. It ended in a bit of a commotion with autograph hunters and him needing a police escort out of a restaurant. Meanwhile, I stood alone nearby. Despite scoring that penalty earlier in the day, no-one asked for my signature.

Auf wiedersehen, Craig.