They were in what manager Roy Hodgson called their "realm of despair". This is the World Cup of "all in one rhythm", except England. Barring a drive to training that bored certain players, the Sao Conrado suburb proved a good base for England, giving a mixture of sufficient privacy and contact with the public.
There was the huge beach 50m away and the mall 100m away with its popular Starbucks. England players could wake up and smell the coffee, off the field at least.
But they flew out in the night, scarcely remembered, not mourned. Before he left, Hodgson admitted that when he arrived home "I have to continue the grieving for a period".
He will not resign. It was pointed out to him that Italy's coach, Cesare Prandelli, had stood down.
"He's been there a long time [since 2010]," Hodgson replied. "The FA have asked me to continue. They want me to continue. I'm very happy that they want me to continue.
"There's an interesting group of players here to work with. I get no feeling whatsoever that any of them will want me to resign. I have no reason to do so. I have no intention to do so.
"I think I've stood up to the criticism, to the comments and that's as much as I can do. I'm not a quitter. I believe in this team and that the FA seriously want me to keep doing this job, as do the players, so I will continue to do it and I'll try to lead the team to Euro 2016 and try to get some good results."
That journey starts in 70 days when Hodgson will convene at St George's Park with Ray Lewington, Gary Neville and Dave Watson before the Wembley friendly with Norway and then the Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland in Basle on September 8.
As England staff broke camp at Sao Conrado, Hodgson was wrestling with many issues. He wants Steven Gerrard, 34, and Frank Lampard, 36, to stay on when many observers understandably want a clean break with the push towards Euro 2016 coming from a squad of under-30s.
"If the question is 'could they still play a part' then obviously the answer is 'yes'," Hodgson said of Gerrard and Lampard.
"It would be nice if they don't formally retire because when players do that they disappear from England selection. Leave it to a dialogue perhaps whereby I could speak to one of them and say: 'Look, do you want to play in this game, are you up for it?"'
Hodgson will take with him the memory of England fans' "fantastic" ovation at the final whistle in Belo Horizonte. Explanation of the fans' reaction came from one of their best-known members, Dean Cornish.
"A poor team being supported until the end. Congas, new songs, and upbeat support. Fantastic. Homages to Lampard, Gerrard, Rooney, Hodgson and the rest of the side that 'the man in the pub' would never understand. Support unquestioned.
"That's not to say England fans are happy with performances. Not good enough. They've not performed. One day they will and those who support in 'bad' times will deserve it."
