World stars laud Thai schoolboys

POGBA: DEDICATES FRANCE’S SEMIFINAL WIN TO THEM

England defender Kyle Walker asks where football shirts can be sent to them.

They may not make it to the World Cup final, but the schoolboy team rescued from a flooded cave in Thailand have been hailed as “heroes” by top footballers and clubs after their dramatic ordeal.

Paul Pogba, Manchester United and Barcelona were among the masses around the world to breathe a sigh of relief as the Wild Boars team finally emerged after more than two weeks trapped underground.

In a sign of how their plight gripped players at the World Cup in Russia, Paul Pogba dedicated France’s semifinal win against Belgium to the youngsters.

“This victory goes to the heroes of the day, well done boys, you are so strong,” the Manchester United midfielder tweeted after Tuesday’s 1-0 win.

English defender Kyle Walker, ahead of last night’s semifinal against Croatia, also welcomed the news and offered to send them football shirts.

“Amazing news that all of the Thai kids are out of the cave safely! I’d like to send out shirts to them! Is there anyone who can help with an address?” he tweeted.

The 12 boys, aged 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach became trapped by rising floodwaters after setting off to explore a cave complex in northern Thailand after football training on June 23.

The last of the group was finally extracted on Tuesday, 18 days later, after a painstaking and dangerous international rescue mission led by Thai Navy Seals.

Rescuers had weighed up several options to save the boys, including keeping them in the cave through the months-long monsoon season.

But they were prodded into the dangerous task of “diving out” the team through submerged chambers and claustrophobic passages as oxygen levels in the cave plummeted and rains menaced.

The group were led out in three batches by a team of 13 international divers flanked by the Thai Navy Seals, who greeted each successful rescue with a “Hooyah” on their Facebook page.

Earlier, Manchester United, world footbsall governing body, Fifa, Japan’s World Cup squad, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Croatia’s football federation were among those to send messages of support during the boys’ ordeal. –

Picture: AFP THANK YOU. France’s midfielder Paul Pogba celebrates the team’s victory in the World Cup semifinal match between France and Belgium at the Saint Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg on Wednesday. He dedicated their win to the rescued Thai youngsters.