Mason Mount gets off the golf buggy that has brought him over from the England team hotel at St George’s Park and saunters over to his seat at an outdoor trestle table, where a semi-circle of journalists is ranged in front of him. The sound of Mount’s best mate, Declan Rice, belting out a version of Sweet Caroline for a radio host, booms forth from one of the little marquees nearby.
Mount looks down and smiles at his friend’s bravado. He is an understated man. He is 22 going on 32, confident but not cocky, the character template that Gareth Southgate loves.