Paul Gascoigne's poignant World Cup message to the young England stars

Paul Gascoigne's poignant World Cup message to the young England stars Paul Gascoigne - known affectionately as Gazza - recalled the halcyon days when he starred in Italia '90, and was lauded as the best young player in the game at just 23 Gazza has urged England's young players to "enjoy every minute" in their bid for World Cup glory. The 59-year-old recalled the halcyon days when he starred in Italia '90, lauded as the best young player in the game. He had just turned 23 when he became one of the most famous faces on the planet. Gazza still loves watching our young stars like Jude Bellingham, 22, Nico O'Reilly, 21, and Anthony Gordon, 25. He compared the talismanic Harry Kane to Gary Lineker in his heyday and believes the young stars of today have every chance of World Cup glory - if they have the courage to 'express themselves' on the pitch. In an exclusive interview with the Mirror, he said: "I was 22 when I was picked for England and just turned 23 at Italia '90. I loved football and I just loved every minute of the World Cup. It was football, football, football. Training every day and just being at the tournament - we had an incredible team. "The players we had were unbelievable. What I would say to the young lads now is that you do not know how many World Cups you will get to play in. I had injuries and we all know what happened with Glenn Hoddle before France '98. So what I would say to the young talent is just go out and play, express yourselves. Play your football and don't be afraid to take players on." On the heat and humidity, he backed the team to adapt to the weather: "I wouldn't care if it was played in a desert. I would beat the camels," he joked. "They'd get the hump. But I would play in the Sahara if I had to." On penalty shootouts, he also offered some practical advice after the recent Arsenal defeat to Paris St Germain in the Champions League final, when England star Eberechi Eze missed after a stuttering run up. "Forget the little dance before you take it," he said. "Make your mind up where you are going to put it, stick to it and get your foot through it. My penalty against Germany in the semi final of Euro 96 hit my shin but it still ended up in the top corner. We were so unlucky in 1990, Chris Waddle hit the post. Another inch the other side, and we would have been in the final. I would have been in my flip flops because of the booking but they would have been in the final, and I think they would have won it." He is often asked to compare the great England teams of 1990 and Euro '96, when he scored the superb solo goal against Scotland. His new 'Gazza' clothes range features his infamous 'Dentist's Chair' celebration and he still winces when he thinks about his near miss in extra time. But he said: "I think the 1990 team was the best England side I played in. There were world class players all over the pitch. We had great team spirit and that is what they will need in America. I shared a room with Chris Waddle and we had some great laughs. "They had to play table tennis, tennis, padel with me to keep me busy." Gazza still loves spending his free time fishing and is looking to buy a boat to pursue this hobby. He is also busy thanks to the paperback release of his book, 'Eight'. At the 2026 Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards, 'Eight' won Autobiography of the Year. The Gateshead-born star received acclaim for the book's honesty about his addictions to drink and drugs and his Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder "I did a book on football once, I had finished playing then and wrote it while I was in treatment," he said. "That won Book of the Year for discussing the problems I went through during treatment. For Eight, I suggested we write about three issues: OCD, alcohol and drugs. Then they googled me and found I had eight issues. "It was good therapy and many people have come up to me saying it helped them. As far as I am concerned, if it can save one person then I have done my job. I think that I need to read it myself." But he slammed the sky high cost of the tournament for ordinary fans, and branded ticket prices 'disgusting'. "They are disgusting, and it is wrong, it is ridiculous how much they are charging fans," he said. "Football is the main sport in the world, to charge people who have not got that much money and yet follow England so much is terrible. I saw one fan on TV who had followed the team for 40 years and is paying one and a half grand for tickets, that is not right." FIFA said the pricing model 'reflected the existing market practice" in the US and, as a not-for-profit organization, the revenue was reinvested to fuel the growth of the game. Gazza admitted that he fell off the wagon on his 59th birthday in May, when he had a bottle of champagne and felt 'really rough' the next day. "I felt terrible and then I stayed in bed," he added. "I had not had a drink for four months. But that is life as an alcoholic. Before this book came out, going through everything was exhausting. But the whole country knows about my life, I have nothing at all to hide. "I was shattered for a few days after it. People come up and say it helps with their issues. To win the book of the year award was special, especially since it is not about football but about my life. It shows the country still loves me. They say I am a national treasure, and I agree He jokes that his flat in Dorset is 'spotless' due to his OCD "I am thinking of starting the Gazza Cleaning Company," he added. "I like to keep busy. I am happy in my own skin. It is the happiest that I have been for a long time." He is in talks with Tyson Fury's management about a potential Netflix 'fly-on-the-wall' documentary. And he would love to see England win the World Cup but won't go to the US due to his fear of flying. He added: "I love the film Gladiator, it reminds me of my attitude towards the game. In the film, he said, 'Entertain the fans and win them over. "And that is what I tried to do, the fans paid my wages and paid for the cars (for my dad). I hope the young players can enjoy America. "They are in with a chance, and can beat anyone on their day. "After that, who knows?" Paul Gascoigne, Eight, The Real Gazza is available to buy online at sites, such as Amazon.