Crouch and Hurst illuminate England bid

The football stars launched the national rally to back the bid by signing their names in light on a 67ft (20m) high flag projected by laser onto Wembley Stadium.

Crouch said: “This is everyone’s chance to help bring the World Cup to England. We want people to show their passion for football, get behind the England 2018 bid and be remembered for it. Show your mates you’ve backed the bid and get them all to do the same.”

The Spurs striker has also made a video asking football fans across England to sign-up. Watch it here.

People can show their support by going to bt.com/2018 to add their name or profile photo from Facebook to the digital flag or text “BT Vision and your name” to 62018.

The photos and names will create a mosaic of hundreds and thousands of images on the virtual flag bearing the 2018 bid logo, The FA’s three lions badge and the slogan “England united. The world invited.”

Gavin Patterson, CEO, BT Retail, added: “We want the flag to become a symbol that shows the passion there is not just in England, but across the whole of the UK, amongst fans to bring football’s greatest competition back to England in 2018.

"Creating the flag filled with photos of people who want to be with us will help to show FIFA that we have the nationwide support to put on a superb tournament.”

England 2018 chief executive Andy Anson, said: “The BT photo flag is an exciting way for fans to get behind England’s World Cup Bid and show their support. Demonstrating the passion of football fans in this country is fundamental to our bid and BT’s campaign provides a fantastic way to capture this.”

The BT England 2018 “Back the Bid” campaign will be touring football games to give fans the chance to show their support including around the FA Cup semi-finals on Olympic Way.

Supporters will get the chance to win a once in a lifetime opportunity to be flag bearers at Wembley at key FA matches by automatically being entered into a free prize draw.

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Gregg Davies

Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.