- England players and staff were given a tracking device called the Oura Ring
- Gareth Southgate was seen wearing a piece of the kit on his left index finger
- LISTEN as it all begins! Ian Ladyman, Chris Sutton and the Mail Sport team give their tournament predictions
The ‘revolutionary’ smart ring worn by Kim Kardashian is featured here as England’s secret weapon at Euro 2024.
Players and staff have been given a state-of-the-art tracking device called the Oura Ring to wear during their stay here in Germany, with technology that claims to monitor sleep, body temperature, stress and heart health.
Gareth Southgate is a firm believer in marginal gains and has been open to introducing various emerging technologies during his eight-year reign as England head coach in his bid to end the nation’s 58-year wait for a major trophy.
And the fitness jewel has become an addition to England’s armory as it prepares for Sunday’s European Championship opener against Serbia.
Southgate himself wore the kit on his left index finger and was first spotted with the ring during England’s preparations for the tournament at home earlier this month.
A number of players have also used the ring in training here at their Weimar base. During training on Wednesday, Conor Gallagher and Marc Guehi were among the players wearing Oura Rings.
Members of England’s support team have also been spotted wearing a device from which staff can monitor data.
Here in Germany, the executive director of the football association, Mark Bullingham, also wears the ring.
While some players have worn the rings during training at their Weimar base, it seems unlikely that they would be allowed to wear them during matches.
Recovery data from demanding training sessions and matches in professional football has become a crucial element for coaches and analysts as they leave no stone unturned in the search for higher performance.
The ring is also popular with some of the most prominent celebrities on the planet.
In addition to Kardashian, Prince Harry, Gwenyth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston are also pictured with the sophisticated tracker.
It is also endorsed by top athletes including NBA star Chris Paul and Olympic skier and three-time gold medalist Lindsey Vonn.
The company’s website also lists the United States military among its clients.
Explaining how the ring can boost performance, the Oura website says: “Whether you manage a professional sports organization or train elite units, ensure your team is always performing at their peak with accurate biometrics.
“Use accurate and continuous data to prioritize rest, adjust training plans, monitor recovery and detect signs of illness, injury and fatigue.”
Oura Rings are priced up to £500, with the cheapest at £277.
The company’s website also claims that users experienced 87 percent better overall health, 88 percent better sleep quality, 74 percent better stress management, and 71 percent improved work productivity.
The company’s website claims to have more than one million users worldwide.
In 2023, England defender John Stones revealed in an interview with Face magazine that he was already a convert from Oura Ring.
“The first thing I do when I get out of bed is check my Oura ring to see how I slept – it’s addictive,” he revealed.
“It tells me how long it took me to fall asleep, how much REM (rapid eye movement) and deep sleep I got, how many times I woke up… it’s crazy.”
Similarly, ahead of Qatar 2022, the German national team were provided with Oura rings after a sleep researcher was appointed to help provide advice on how to accumulate optimal rest before and after preparations.
Anna West, a Danish-born sleep expert, spoke to the German team before the tournament and recommended that each player be given a ring to wear so support staff can better track their recovery.
Members of the England women’s team also used Oura Rings.