England secured a bronze medal at the inaugural Transplant Football World Cup earlier this month under the leadership of their manager from Bicester.

The event, which took place between September 8 and 24, saw England's Transplant Sport football team take part alongside 10 other nations, each represented by players who had undergone life-saving organ transplants.

The tournament brought together transplant recipients from across the globe, providing a platform for them to compete at the highest level.

England won bronze after beating France in the third place play-offEngland won bronze after beating France in the third place play-off (Image: Transplant Sport) The England squad at the Transplant World CupThe England squad at the Transplant World Cup (Image: Transplant Sport) Team England won all five of their group stage games, scoring more than 25 goals, and conceding just three.

In a semi-final against eventual champions Spain, they were narrowly defeated 2-1 in the final seconds, but bounced back to claim a 4-1 victory over France in the third place play-off.

Team England’s manager, and trustee of Transplant Sport, Bicester resident Daley Cross, said: "Football may not be coming home, but 14 transplant heroes are. This tournament has shown the world what’s possible through organ donation.

England lost to eventual champions Spain in the semi-finalEngland lost to eventual champions Spain in the semi-final (Image: Transplant Sport) "It’s given them a second chance at life and a platform to achieve things they once thought were out of reach."

The team wore the NHS Organ Donation logo on their sleeves, raising awareness of the life-saving impact of organ transplants.

Following the changes to organ donation law in England in May 2020, all adults are organ donors unless they ‘opt out’, although families still have the ability to override this decision.