Merenciano has spent much of the past few years on guided tours of the facility. Southgate, he says, has visited several times, but also senior staff from Brazil, Mexico, Italy, Belgium and Spain.
“It’s a big, big decision – it’s going to be your home,” Merenciano said. Final confirmation of who stays where it is made by Fifa and, although Al Wakrah has not yet been officially confirmed as England’s base, their impending arrival has become an open secret.
World Cup players and staff will have exclusive use of the property from 1 November to 20 December and, as well as the labyrinth of courtyards, there is a roof area that looks ideal for team gatherings. England will have their own in-house chef to oversee the food, and have free rule to adapt the various meeting rooms and facilities to their liking, even if the hotel’s no-alcohol policy remains in place.
There are also several small gyms, several treatment rooms, as well as water beds, hydrotherapy pools, steam rooms and a prayer room, all separated by the original thick walls designed to keep indoor temperatures low.
The interior is of course now air-conditioned and golf carts have been sprinkled on the hotel grounds, mainly for the scorching summer months when even a few hundred meters walk will result in a large puddle of sweat.