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Reece James has warned his England team-mates not to underestimate the brutal conditions awaiting them in the United States next summer, adding he knows exactly what it takes to succeed in heat and humidity after sweating through the Club World Cup with Chelsea.
James was surprised to have Donald Trump standing alongside him when he lifted that trophy as the Blues' captain in July, though says Harry Kane can babysit the US president on the podium this time if the Three Lions go all the way at the World Cup.
England have already qualified for next summer's FIFA showpiece, even before facing Serbia and Albania in their final qualifiers this week. James believes the national team could create history if the players are prepared to embrace the 'super hot' challenge in front of them.
'You feel the heat the minute you step outside of the hotel,' James said. 'It's super difficult to play in that heat, especially us playing in England, there's not anything like that. They are difficult conditions to play in and the pitches when we were there weren't the greatest either and that made it a little harder, but hopefully by the time the World Cup comes around, it's better.
'It's been a key message: that the conditions will be tough in the middle of the summer in America. Everyone is aware of that. We're trying to prepare as best as we can for that.
'Warm-weather training camps would help. We (Chelsea) finished last season with not much time. We didn't have time to go away to (train in) warm weather, so it was: finish the Premier League and go to 40-degree heat. There was no real time to adapt.
Reece James sweated through the humid conditions at the Club World Cup in the summer
The Blues captain helped Chelsea to victory and was joined by Donald Trump on the podium
James has warned his Three Lions team-mates that the USA promises sweltering conditions at next year's World Cup
'Hopefully this season, going into the World Cup, the team will have the opportunity to be exposed to the heat. That will hopefully help us prepare better.
'It's my dream – every young boy or girl's dream to be a world champion for their country. It's something I've dreamt of since I started playing, since I got selected for England. I feel we could go close.'
Chelsea won the Club World Cup final by defeating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in a final in which their overall intensity was surprising.
Enzo Maresca's side suffocated PSG with Cole Palmer, who is expected to return from his groin injury soon and possibly by the end of this month, enjoying an extraordinary game. The Blues upped their aggression for that sweltering showdown at the MetLife Stadium in New York, with James adding you have to pick and choose when to take that up a level.
'There are games where you can do that,' James said. 'We didn't do that in every game of the tournament. At the final, we were probably more aggressive than we were.
'But that's dependent on the opposition and the state of the game. When you're in the final, playing against the European champions, you don't really have time to sit off and let them have the ball. You need to go after them. If you get too tired, you come out.'
James will play under his former boss Thomas Tuchel at next year's World Cup with England
Organisers FIFA have never asked James for feedback on last summer, though had they, the 25-year-old would have advocated for later kick-off times.
Thomas Tuchel has called for similar sense, and James added when asked on his former Chelsea head coach: 'We have a good relationship.
'We had a decent period together at Chelsea, we won a few trophies, and I enjoy playing for him. There are good managers and good people and he ticks both boxes.'
On Trump muscling in on any potential trophy ceremony, James said: 'I'll leave that to Harry.'
