Prince William gets competitive as he coaches kids' football team

Prince William couldn’t stop his competition from coming out once football, his favourite sport, entered the picture during his latest outing.

The Prince of Wales recently visited a green space protected by Fields in Trust alongside its new president, former England footballer Jill Scott. The outing marked their first in-person catch-up since Scott took over the role in July, replacing William, who had served as president since 2011.

While touring the park, the pair stumbled upon a children’s football match already in progress and decided to get involved. The future king called dibs on the green team, while Scott took charge of the white team. Both stepped into coaching mode, cheering from the sidelines and offering instructions for the young players.

“Push up a bit,” William told his players. When his advice paid off, he exclaimed, “Good shot!”

Despite his efforts, it was Scott’s team that came out on top. William, however, wasn’t ready to concede defeat. “Hang on, does that mean Jill has won?” he asked, before insisting, “We can’t stop yet!” Scott pushed back with a laugh, replying, “No, we can stop now!”

William and Scott last crossed paths in Switzerland in July, where they watched England’s women’s team compete in the Euros and discussed “the great work she is going to be doing as the new President of Fields in Trust.”

Now celebrating its 100th anniversary, the charity — formerly known as the National Playing Fields Association — works to protect parks, playgrounds, playing fields, and green spaces across the UK. Its guiding principle is simple: “Access to green space is a right, not a privilege.”

During the visit, William, now patron of the organisation, stressed why those spaces matter. “Having access to fresh air, a bit of peace and quiet; greenery is so good for our minds and bodies,” he said. “You need to have that space, you need to have this [gestures to surroundings] in as many communities as you can.”

The 43-year-old royal added, “The family connection with Fields in Trust goes way back – a hundred years. The green space protection part is really important because once a green space goes, it’s gone forever.”

“What Fields in Trust has done is make sure everyone has access to somewhere as amazing as this on their doorstep,” William said.