John Stones and Kyle Walker are among the frontrunners to take home unofficial mascot Dave the Cat

Dave the Cat will reportedly be the subject of a tug-of-war between several England stars who are bidding to bring home the stray dog ​​after he became the mascot of the Three Lions in Qatar.

The feline appeared during the competition and never left, with Kyle Walker and John Stones becoming particularly enamored with the tabby before its departure from the tournament.

Dave, as Manchester City defender Stones nicknamed him, has since been cared for by the Qatar Animal Welfare Society (QAWS), and has now been microchipped, vaccinated and neutered since England’s quarter-final elimination.

‘Precisely where it will end up has yet to be decided’, QAWS caretaker Janet Berry. he told the Daily Star. A lot of the players want it.

Man City couple Walker and Stones are believed to be favorites to take the cat home after packing their bags in Qatar, with the former frequently sharing updates on the two-year-old feline’s life.

His club and country teammate Kalvin Phillips is another candidate to bring him home after he declared the national shorthair the unofficial team mascot.

“He had a little fight with another cat the other night,” the defender said before the Three Lions left their hotel.

“I think they are fighting over territory and food. But she’s doing fine.

Dave was not only bandaged up after receiving the injury, but also given his own England mini jersey for him to wear.

“John named him Dave,” Walker explained. ‘Dave is welcome to the table. Some people don’t really like the cat, but I love it. He loves me.’

Walker initially vowed to take Dave home with him if England could win the tournament, however the team ultimately came up short and bowed out at the quarter-final stage.

Dave is unable to make the journey to his potential new UK home until at least April and has been placed in a temporary home in Qatar ahead of a period of quarantine.