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Thai cave rescue boys WON’T watch World Cup final live in second blow after missing out in ticket offer – as it’s on TV too late

The kids - members of a local football team called the Wild Boars - were visiting the cave in Chiang Rai after training when monsoon floods trapped them inside it.

THE twelve boys and their football coach rescued from a flooded cave in Thailand will watch a recording of the World Cup final today, not the live broadcast.

The footy team - named the Wild Boars - from Chiang Rai, northern Thailand, have also missed out on attending the match due to medical reasons.

The youngsters were seen drawing pictures in hospital, where they have been kept since the last of their team was rescued on Tuesday
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The youngsters were seen drawing pictures in hospital, where they have been kept since the last of their team was rescued on TuesdayCredit: EPA
Dramatic video shows Thai Navy Seals carry out trapped football team on stretchers through dangerous cave system

An official at Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital said: "Given that the final will be broadcast quite late our time, and we want the boys to rest and not to be looking at screens too much, we will probably record the final and show it to them later."

France play Croatia in the World Cup final in Moscow today, at 10pm in Thailand.

The world football governing body FIFA had invited the boys - one of whom was stuck in the cave wearing an England shirt - and their coach to attend the final in Moscow but they could not go for medical reasons.

The 12-member "Wild Boars" football team and their coach spent more than two weeks trapped inside the flooded cave.

The boys waved from their hospital beds in the video, seen earlier today
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The boys waved from their hospital beds in the video, seen earlier todayCredit: EPA
Some of the boys sent this photo from the cave to show their relatives they were safe and well
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Some of the boys sent this photo from the cave to show their relatives they were safe and wellCredit: Twitter

They have been recovering in hospital since they were rescued over three days last week and will discharged on Thursday.

The boys, aged 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach had planned to explore the Tham Luang cave complex for about an hour after football practice on June 23. But a rainy season downpour flooded the tunnels, trapping them.

British divers John Volanthen and Rick Stanton found them on July 2, squatting on a mound in a flooded chamber several kilometres inside the complex. Rescuers then had to work out how to get them out through the flooded tunnels.

All 13 were brought to safety in a perilous rescue organised by Thai navy SEALs and an international team of cave-diving experts.

Kyle Walker also offered to get shirts to the lads after seeing one was an England fan
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Kyle Walker also offered to get shirts to the lads after seeing one was an England fanCredit: Twitter
The dangerous mission to save the boys and their coach took three days
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The dangerous mission to save the boys and their coach took three daysCredit: Reuters
Dramatic pictures showed the boys being taken on stretchers after their incredible rescue
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Dramatic pictures showed the boys being taken on stretchers after their incredible rescueCredit: Dan Charity - The Sun
The dramatic operation took several days to complete
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The dramatic operation took several days to completeCredit: AP:Associated Press

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The rescue was greeted with joy by some of the world's biggest soccer clubs.

Last week, Manchester United invited the "Wild Boars" to watch a match at their Old Trafford ground.

Authorities have closed the cave for now but hope to reopen it later as a tourist attraction - with sufficient safeguards in place to make sure no one gets trapped again.

The rescue mission was camped outside the entrance to the cave for days after the discovery the boys were trapped inside
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The rescue mission was camped outside the entrance to the cave for days after the discovery the boys were trapped insideCredit: Getty Images - Getty
Brit scuba heroes Richard Stanton and John Volanthen made the euphoric discovery after bravely traversing the labyrinth of caverns and passages
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Brit scuba heroes Richard Stanton and John Volanthen made the euphoric discovery after bravely traversing the labyrinth of caverns and passagesCredit: Dan Charity - The Sun

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