Patriotic England fans in full-on party mode in France as tonight’s big kick off nears
Thousands pack the streets of the posh French resort and Tyson Fury joins in the fun
THREE Lions fans show the friendly face of English football as they party with Icelandic 'rivals' and locals ahead of tonight's knockout clash in Nice.
The streets of the posh French resort were packed with thousands of good-natured fans from both countries and singing rang out long throughout last night and today.
Supporters have poured into the old town of the French city throughout the last 48 hours as chants of the England supporters' anthem 'Don't take me home' filled the streets.
The atmosphere was good-natured, one England fan dressed as a referee even gave a local police officer his marching orders by brandishing a red card.
Earlier in the evening, boxing champ Tyson Fury had helped home fans get into the spirit of the Euros when he forked out 1,000 euro (£823) on Jagerbombs at the Akathor bar.
Fury tweeted a picture of the receipt with the caption: 'This is how much I love my fans, euro 2016, 200 jager bombs, for the fans.'
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Many supporters are expecting a tight match at the Allianz Riviera - with a 1-0 scoreline being widely predicted by fans.
Thomas Barnes said: "Iceland will defend strongly, but we'll get one. At least one."
Jacob Carton, 19, from Cumbria, said: "I'm quite optimistic. 1-0, Sturridge."
The winners of the tie have hosts France waiting for them in the quarter-final, which will take place at the Stade de France on Sunday evening.
Eider Gudjohnsen, a veteran squad member, said the team is preparing for "the biggest game in Iceland's footballing history" but admits if his country are knocked out, he hopes Roy Hodgson's men go on to lift the trophy.
"To be facing England, for us, I think it's fair to say it is a little bit special because English football has had a huge influence on Icelandic football and from when we grew up, and for generations, everyone in Iceland has supported a team in English football, so we feel a big connection to England in footballing terms," said the 37-year-old.
The team's sentiments were shared by fans travelling to Nice for the game yesterday.
Helgi Einarsson, 32, chief executive of a construction company has travelled to Nice with five friends who set up a sophisticated internet operation to buy tickets when Iceland qualified for the last 16.
“This is the biggest day in the history of Iceland football,” he said. “We have all grown up watching English teams and now we are playing England.”
Kristbjorg Agustsdottir, 71, told how she has paid for five members of the family to attend the match to celebrate her daughter who has just completing her MBA and her granddaughter’s graduation.
Ms Agustsdottir, a Manchester United supporter, said: “For a small nation like ours to come so far is a dream. We will win against England on penalties.”
Yesterday we told how the the Vikings of Iceland promised the clash will be trouble free as they say they ‘prefer hugs to hooliganism’.
Some 27,000 Iceland fans have travelled to France, almost 10 percent of the Nordic island’s 330,000-strong population. No smaller country has ever featured at a Euro finals.
And their supporters are clearly making the most of the experience.
Last night was all a far cry from the shocking scenes which marred England's opening game against Russia.
Fighting fans conducted pitched battles in Marseille in the worst violence at a football tournament since the 1998 World Cup.
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