"Stood Out and Ran" England Football's New Uniform Controversy... UK Prime Minister Also 'Displeased'

‘St. George's Cross’ in Various Colors... Flood of Criticism
Prime Minister Sunak: "The Flag is a Source of Identity... It Should Remain As Is"

The England national football team unveiled a new uniform ahead of the UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 2024). However, criticism spread over the change in the national flag colors, with even the Prime Minister expressing displeasure.

The controversial part of the new uniform is the St. George's Cross of the England flag embroidered on the collar of the jersey. Nike, the American sports company that produced the uniform, depicted the cross not in its original solid red but in various colors such as red, blue, and purple.

New uniform of the England national football team. Nike sparked controversy by changing the flag design printed on the collar.
[Image source= Nike social media (SNS) capture]

Nike explained, “The design was inspired by the England team’s training kit from their 1966 World Cup victory,” adding, “The cross was playfully updated to promote unity and inspiration.”

However, as soon as the uniform was revealed, fans flooded with harsh criticism, calling it “disrespectful” and “offensive.” On the online petition site Change.org, more than 23,000 people have already signed a petition demanding a design change. Various public figures have also called on Nike to alter the uniform design.

Lucy Frazer, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, criticized on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Tampering with national heritage, including the St. George's Cross, is meaningless and unnecessary,” adding, “This is not what the fans wanted.” Earlier, Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, also urged a review of the design, saying, “I don’t understand why it was changed in the first place.”

On the 22nd (local time), Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also spoke out. The UK’s BBC reported that during a conversation with reporters, Sunak said, “I prefer the original colors,” and added, “The flag should not be tampered with. It is a source of pride and identity, so it should remain as is.”

New uniform of the England national football team. Nike sparked controversy by changing the flag design on the collar.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The players’ reactions have also been negative. England’s legendary goalkeeper Peter Shilton posted on X, “Sorry, but it’s wrong in every way, and I oppose it.”

Harvey Elliott (Liverpool FC) of the England U-21 team played with the collar of his uniform raised during the UEFA Euro U-21 qualifying match against Azerbaijan on the 22nd. The Sun reported that “Elliott appeared to be hiding the new St. George’s Cross design.”

However, the BBC reported, “The Football Association (FA) supports Nike’s design and has no plans to change it.” The England national team is scheduled to wear the new uniform in a friendly match against Brazil at Wembley on the 23rd.