It's been a pleasure playing in front of amazing Kolkata crowd: Sancho

Soon after leaving the England U-17 squad for club commitments, star attacking midfielder Jadon Sancho said it was a "pleasure" playing at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in front of big crowds at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan here.

"I just wanna say a Big Thank you to Kolkata for the support, it's been a pleasure playing in front of such amazing crowd! Come on @England!," Sancho wrote on his Twitter handle.

Playing down the left channel with his shimmies cutting inside and teeing up teammates with exquisite passes and at times weaving past defenders, Sancho has been a crowd favourite from the very first day when England took on Chile.

In all three of England's group matches, attendance has been over 40,000 at the colossal venue with chants of "Sancho Sancho" frequenting the stands.

The 17-year old Borussia Dortmund player scored a brace in that game as England won 4-0 following it up with another stellar display against Mexico where he netted another from the spot.

Sancho played a part in the Young Lions' final 4-0 triumph over Iraq before having to leave Indian shores to join his employers in Germany.

The former Watford and Manchester City player was withdrawn before England's final training session ahead of their Round of 16 game against Japan.

Sancho said his farewell to the squad on Sunday evening before leaving the team's base in Kolkata and heading to Cyprus where Dortmund play APOEL in the Champions League on Tuesday.

"People enjoyed seeing him play and it's a disappointment for him because he very much enjoyed his time in India and relished the chance to play in a World Cup. He loves playing for England and this team in particular so it's sad to see him go.

"I can only imagine Dortmund want him back to play in their first team at the weekend and I assume he will be starting for them, because I can't think of a reason why you would take a player away from a World Cup," coach Steve Cooper had said at the pre-match press conference on Monday.

--IANS

dm/ajb/dg