Meet 'Dave', the cat Kyle Walker wants to bring back from Qatar

An extra passenger could be following the England team home from their Doha HQ should they win the World Cup – a cat called Dave.

If he gets his hands on the trophy, Kyle Walker has promised to adopt the white and tabby stray, which has become an honorary mascot in the squad's camp in Qatar.

There are two strays in total. The other has been named Paul, which Walker and defensive team-mate John Stones have taken a shine to. Not everyone in the squad is said to be a fan of the feral felines – Bukayo Saka is said to jump "100ft in the air" when he sees them.

But Walker said he is willing to adopt Dave, and share custody with Stones, also of Manchester City, when they eventually return to the UK. "I'd love to adopt him," said Walker, who looks set to be tasked with man marking standout star Kylian Mbappe on Saturday for England's quarter-final against France.

"If we win the World Cup, I'll adopt the cat if I can take him back. Me and John, we can share... we'll put him in the City training ground."

There is said to be a great bond within the England squad, but not everyone is as enamoured as Walker and Stones are with the moggies at their five-star Souq Al Wakra resort. Walker listed City team-mates Stones, Kalvin Phillips, Phil Foden and Chelsea's Raheem Sterling as among those to welcome the cats.

But the rest of the squad seems sceptical as Walker allows Dave to join them at their restaurant table while they are eating. "Dave, he's just welcome to the table," said Walker in a video with the FA. "There's me, John [Stones], Kalvin [Phillips] and Raz [Sterling]. We do get a few guest appearances from Phil [Foden] and the other lads that want to join us. But everyone seems to be moving away because we keep inviting the cat... some people really don't like the cat but I love him."

Phillips said Dave is more friendly than Paul, who has lost an eye. He wrote in his official England Football World Cup diary: "Me, Kyle and Stonesy usually sit in the same corner of the canteen. On the first night, a cat wandered up to us, so we chucked it a little bit of chicken and stuff like that. And then the next day, we went to the same corner and he was sat there waiting for us...whenever we go for food, we feed Dave and he sits and chills with us."

Phillips explained they were named Dave and Paul because the names were typical of the three players' Yorkshire background. "I think it was just the first name which sprung into Stonesy's head," he added.

Speaking on England's Lions' Den show, Walker said of Dave: "He was just there one day, so we've just adopted him, me and Stonesy." Walker then revealed that it was Stones who came up with the name, adding: "I don't mind them, obviously, I don't mind cats, but I don't like to touch them." Walker then promised host Josh Denzel that he will adopt Dave if the team, which beat Senegal 3-0 in a convincing last-16 display, go all the way in Qatar.