The Yorkshire pair will be feline fine after helping lead the Three Lions into the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup as the pair both started in Tuesday evening’s 3-0 win over neighbours Wales.

A lucky mascot has joined the England camp in the Gulf State, with Stones and Walker – who hail from Barnsley and Sheffield respectively – taking Dave the cat under their care. Stones, who came through the academy at Barnsley and made his senior debut with the club before joining Everton and then Manchester City, says the the cat has been well fed by the England squad.

“He is big now, he is getting big. I just fed him before I came here,” Stones told the England media team ahead of Tuesday night’s victory over Wales.

England's defender John Stones takes part in a training session at Al Wakrah SC Stadium in Al Wakrah, south of Doha on November 28, 2022 on the eve of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football match between Wales and England. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

"The first day we got there we got a little table around the corner, the next minute – Dave pops out. Every night he is sat there waiting for his food.

"The other day he didn’t eat all his food, we were a bit annoyed at him. We think he is getting a bit greedy!”

Stones has played in all three of England’s games in Qatar, with the only goals conceded by Southgate’s side coming the in the 6-2 win over Iran as they followed that up with clean sheets against both the USA and Wales.

The Three Lions take on Senegal – without inspirational captain Sadio Mane - on Sunday and Stones will be hoping to retain his place in the centre of defence alongside fellow Yorkshireman Harry Maguire. An England victory would be celebrated across the nation and ensure Dave the cat is well fed until at least the quarter-final stage.

World Cup 2022: England defenders John Stones and Kyle Walker befriend street cat named Dave in Qatar