World Cup diary, day 15: England fans still sparse as debate rages on about Belgium match

Russia’s only year-round ice-free port in Europe still holds a great deal of signifcance. By far the most westerly point of the world’s largest nation, this is where Russia keeps an eye on an ever-antagonistic west, which just adds to the strange general feel around the enclave.

Kaliningrad is like no other Russian city, and not just because of its isolated location. Handed over to Russia by Germany after World War II, a great deal of influence has been taken from neighbouring Poland, Lithuania as well as Germany. “We take a bit of everything from everywhere,” my taxi driver told me. “And it works.”

An invasion England fans is expected, from all angles. Some have followed England from the start, and undertook the journey from Nizhny Novgorod to Kaliningrad, not possible over land. Some have come via Lithuania, many through Gdansk in Poland, less than 100km away, all taking advantage of visa-free travel with Fan ID.

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Yet, the day before the game, England fans were still scarcely seen in Victory Square – the epicentre of Kaliningrad. There was the odd flag, the odd rowdy bunch in an Irish Bar, but the numbers remained low. It is amazing what some government scaremongering can do. You wouldn’t see Argentinians put off by such nonsense, that’s for sure.

Gareth Southgate was asked about such in his press conference, and while he gave the usual diplomatic answer, praising those fans who had made the journey, the disappointment that the England backing was not as fervent as usual was certainly evident in his body language.

The rest of the debate centred around Germany’s exit. As Southgate was just getting started with his England v Belgium pre-match press conference, nobody was listening.

Via different VPNs, and live blogs, the watching press were focused on the dying embers of Germany’s World Cup campaign happening simultaneously. As soon as the final whistle went, the question was of course put to Southgate what he thought, and again the answer was diplomatic, rather than the bullish one we were all looking for.

The press room was divided. The fans I spoke to were divided too – do we go for a win, or aim for second and a more favourable draw?

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Roberto Martinez seemed a little more honest in his press conference, happy to admit that he will be resting some players, and that top spot is not everything. You do wonder if Gareth really agrees?

Back into the centre of Kaliningrad and there were pockets of England fans everywhere. You could hear faint trumpeting from the English band as if floating in off the Baltic Sea, but again, no great numbers were congregating in the squares and thoroughfares.

Much is expected to change on matchday. The majority of fans, so we are told, are frolicking just over the Polish border, and will get the short train to Kaliningrad for the game, many without tickets.

And what will they witness? A draw of lots thousands of miles away in Moscow to decide who finishes top of the group? A thumping England victory over a blasé Belgium? Or will both be scoring own goals and getting booked for fun? We will soon find out!