It is not just England’s global football stars who struggle to perform at big tournaments.

Sutton police’s football team put in a good shift at the international police indoor soccer tournament in Holland but could not make it to the knockout stages.

It means no English team has made it to the next stage of the competition in its 29 year history.

Sutton were one of 12 teams from the country trying to change that and although they were the second best of those on show from the UK, they could not progress.

Under the name of Inter Sutton, the officers won two games out of seven, scoring five goals whilst conceding 14.

Captain Mark Towler said: “They were proud to be representing the Metropolitan Police Service, which is well known throughout the world.”

The officers, who were drawn from Sutton’s Safer Neighbourhoods Teams, Safer Parks and Safer Transport Teams, were taking part in the world’s biggest police soccer tournament in Holland between October 10 and 14.

The tournament was won by Russia with Brazil coming second.

The team, who all attended the tournament in their own time, raised more than £500 for Help for Heroes.