NIKE wanted to add more colours to the controversial new England kit before the FA stepped in, insiders have claimed.
The sports brand this week revealed it had altered St George’s Cross using purple and blue horizontal stripes in what it called a “playful update” to the shirt ahead of Euro 2024.
The US firm said the colours were inspired by the training kit worn by England’s 1966 World Cup winners.
But furious football pundits, players, celebs and fans have slammed the “woke” design since it was launched earlier this week.
And now it’s been claimed that Nike wanted to make the kit even more multi-coloured – displaying a “rainbow” effect.
However, sources say the strip was sent to the FA’s former commercial director Navin Singh for final approval – and was turned down, reports The Telegraph.
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They claim Singh thought the “rainbow” kit would be accused of “virtue-signalling”, and so it was axed.
Footie legends like Harry Redknapp, Peter Shilton and David Seaman have all had their say on the saga.
Even Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer are among those to have condemned the kit.
An FA statement on Friday reiterated its pride in the red and white St George’s Cross.
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It read: “The new England 2024 home kit has a number of design elements which were meant as a tribute to the 1966 World Cup-winning team.
“The coloured trim on the cuffs is inspired by the training gear worn by England’s 1966 heroes, and the same colours also feature on the design on the back of the collar.
“It is not the first time that different coloured St George’s cross-inspired designs have been used on England shirts.
“We are very proud of the red and white St George’s cross – the England flag.
“We understand what it means to our fans, and how it unites and inspires, and it will be displayed prominently at Wembley – as it always is – when England play Brazil.”
Meanwhile, PM Sunak said: “When it comes to our national flags, we shouldn’t mess with them because they’re a source of pride, identity, who we are, and they’re perfect as they are.”
Labour leader Starmer told The Sun’s Harry Cole: “I’m a big football fan, I go to England games, men, women’s games.
“And the flag is used by everybody, it’s unifying, it doesn’t need to change.
“We just need to be proud of it. So I think they should just reconsider this and change it back.”
Asked about the shirt in his press conference ahead of tonight’s clash with Brazil, Gareth Southgate said: “I don’t know if the debate is about the St George flag needing to be on the England shirt because obviously it has not always been.
“I think the most important thing that has to be on our shirt is the Three Lions. It’s our iconic symbol.
“It’s what distinguishes us from football teams around the world and England rugby and England cricket.
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“I suppose what you’re really asking is should we be tampering with the cross of St George, in my head if it’s not a red cross and white background then it’s not the cross of St George.
“It’s a hard question to answer. It’s presumably some artistic take on [the flag] which I’m not creative enough to understand.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
