Nike's redesign of the England football team's kit, featuring a multicolored version of the St. George's Cross, has sparked widespread controversy and backlash. The new design, described by some as a 'woke' interpretation of the national flag, has been criticized by fans, politicians, and former footballers alike. Critics argue that the redesign is an unnecessary alteration of a national symbol, with some labeling it as 'virtue-signaling woke nonsense'. The controversy extends to the kit's pricing, with the match shirt now priced at £125 (a £10 increase) and the replica at £85, amidst a cost of living crisis. Despite the uproar, the Football Association (FA) has stated it has no plans to recall the shirt, emphasizing that the design elements were intended as a tribute to the 1966 World Cup winning team. The debate has united figures across the political spectrum, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, and others expressing their disapproval. Nike has responded to the criticism by stating that the design was meant to celebrate the achievements of the 1966 team and was not intended to offend.
England fans rage over 'woke' kit as Three Lions wear woke design for the first time https://t.co/h1rXwIZNC8
Home Secretary James Cleverly urges football fans to 'vote with their feet' and not buy controversial Nike England kit with 'woke' cross https://t.co/FGIhvgx2WM https://t.co/TcSCuTO0RG
'In every school, in every university, in every government department, British values are being diminished, British history attacked and the British way of life treated with contempt.' @MrMarkDolan says Nike changing the St George's cross is a 'profound insult to this country'. https://t.co/44RHMzVT4y
England fans divided over new shirt as one says FA should 'burn' Nike design https://t.co/FJKP7Csck7 https://t.co/OLbv70IrxU
Joe Cole hits out at FA’s ‘incompetence’ for role in controversial Nike kit amid ‘woke’ flag backlash https://t.co/sPls4DUs2Q
“Endrick La Mare”: Southgate’s England flops lose as woke new shirt desecrates flag of St George.
FA plot major overhaul to England kit production after furious backlash to new 'woke' kit https://t.co/W02wqBJwk6
some people are upset about the flag on the back of the new England shirt. While it looks crap, can we all get upset at the fact it’s £125 instead. £125 for an England shirt?! https://t.co/8BGzPRtKc2
FA plan 'urgent overhaul' of England kit after huge backlash against Nike's Euro 2024 shirt https://t.co/hqGir9RFXY
England football shirts 'should connect people' https://t.co/fJvFMHi0C5
'I'm absolutely appalled at this. Bobby Moore would be turning in his grave. Is nothing sacred anymore?' Lizzie Cundy and Matthew Laza react to Nike's changes to the St George's flag on the latest England kit. 🔓 Become a GB News Member: https://t.co/mNsRsGC8ef https://t.co/c08B9B24GQ
'When people see a big corporation like Nike, which is well known for flaunting its woke credentials and pushing diversity down people's throats, messing with the national flag it's right for people to be suspicious.' Trade Unionist, Paul Embery, on the St George's flag row. https://t.co/4YFX6x0Dpg
'I don't see the national flag as a play motif.' 'Why does your pride hang on one tiny representation of the St George's flag?' @SangitaMyska debates with caller David, who believes the change to the St George's Cross on the England kit is 'representative of cancel culture'. https://t.co/iRI7vgTK8p
Harvey Elliott ‘hides’ England flag as controversial new kit makes first appearance https://t.co/pFaibVsTkb
Telegraph Sport has revealed the FA plans an urgent overhaul of how England strips are approved in future, amid extraordinary claims the man who signed off on the current shirt had failed to spot the woke change to the back of its collar. Is the bloke blind?! At least… https://t.co/3OEFc4J9rA
The St George's Cross is nowhere on the 1966 kit, nor to be seen in the stadium, where the Union Jack is flown in the stands. And Nike have messed around with most national kits this year. But this type of message captures a sense of threat, fragility and grievance https://t.co/fpy8p3LwOz
Will England stars revolt against Nike's 'woke rainbow' rehash of St George's cross? Eyes will be on players' collars when they play Brazil tonight - after Harvey Elliott 'hid' the controversial logo in training and Gareth Southgate hinted he's not a fan https://t.co/2ZjCSr9lHn https://t.co/mRroPLbhJR
England manager Gareth Southgate believes the Three Lions crest is the most important part of the national team’s shirt https://t.co/FykSuAryh0
Gareth Southgate slams flag ‘update’ as England legends queue up to blast Nike for ‘woke’ kit https://t.co/haV4TJbT2q
The sweet @FA has defended their bisexual & omnisexual inspired St George's Cross on England shirts. They've no plans to change them. The shirts cost an eye watering £124.99 for adults & £119.99 for children. A PR disaster for @nikefootball & the @FA. https://t.co/XIuilFPvU9 https://t.co/Z4SBZ70GdV
Revealed: Umbro also tampered with St George's flag in their 2011/12 England kit by displaying images of cross in four different colours across front of the shirt - as England prepare to play Brazil tonight wearing controversial new Nike top https://t.co/OdmV1GlvhS https://t.co/nowJ254bYu
'You've infuriated me today.' 'Because I think people who get angry about flags are idiots, that makes me unpatriotic?' @Matthew_Wright and caller Sue debate over Nike's changes to St George's Cross on England's new football shirt. https://t.co/Bbmkz2PPvO
Nike's 2024 international kits theme is to "disrupt convention with bold twists on icons". Obvs, football associations could decide what they should do or not. Idea colour/shape of Union Jack/St George's flag on kits is sacrosanct is an invented tradition from last Wednesday. https://t.co/QjxVMSbLmj
Gareth Southgate: England boss says Three Lions most important thing on England shirt https://t.co/7XYM4pSidh
Gareth Southgate has his say on hated change to England kit after Nike statement on 'woke cross' https://t.co/u2RhuNQinq
Gareth Southgate appears to be in agreement with England fans over flag design https://t.co/ZqvI121cvv
🗣️ Gareth Southgate on England kit row: Flag cannot be called St George’s Cross https://t.co/6lTLuXhagD
"Nike must be delighted with this furore" Andy Dunn and Martyn Ziegler discuss England's new kit on Back Pages Tonight 🏴 https://t.co/avW5xDB7Vv
If you thought wokery could not get any worse, it just has with Nike's hugely controversial redesign of the England flag for Euro 2024 – blatantly based on the Pride flag, says Jack Watson. https://t.co/fC755MzfAQ
Ex-footballer Eniola Aluko defended Nike’s addition of a multicolored England flag on the country’s latest men’s kit https://t.co/Ye5yMsOiE6
Gareth Southgate makes feelings clear on St George's Cross controversy ahead of England clash with Brazil https://t.co/ACQiF1ABCU
These are Umbro 2012 reworkings of the St George's Cross https://t.co/bcCCOd4dsm
Gareth Southgate says its the three lions that are iconic for English football. They are prominent on the new 2024 kit. Southgate ducks the St George artistic impression question https://t.co/fKSXGLR8xn
Not my flag! Gareth Southgate does not recognise logo as St George's Cross, while Nike backtrack, saying 'it was not our intention to offend' https://t.co/Nprv5NBg4m https://t.co/P92U6mQ9Hb
England shirt fiasco two years in making – and Nike originally proposed rainbow colours The inside story of how Nike’s ‘playful update’ backfired on sportswear giant and FA in spectacular fashion ⬇️ https://t.co/SHCPEdgyFP
🏴ENGLAND'S NEW KIT SPARKS FURY OVER "WOKE" FLAG UPDATE Nike's redesign of England's kit has fans labeling it "virtue signaling woke nonsense." Sky News pundit Simon Jordan: “This is the same Nike that produces sports bras for biological men, like Dylan Mulvaney, to push an… https://t.co/VQV44SRrxo
England manager Gareth Southgate launched a passionate defence of the St George’s flag after the shirt row | @johncrossmirror https://t.co/R54gM7yITk https://t.co/ROa9vlRISe
Nike elected to change the color of St. George’s Cross with with red, black, purple, pink and blue. Nike claimed the change was “a playful update” to “unite and inspire”. https://t.co/h8cRhDh6uY
Gareth Southgate says the most important thing to have on the England shirt is the 'iconic symbol' of the Three Lions. #BBCFootball https://t.co/doMzoSoYbt
'I don't understand' - Gareth Southgate has his say on hated change to England kit after Nike statement https://t.co/dvSvGeP9Nj
Gareth Southgate shares his thoughts on the controvery over England's new kit 🗣️https://t.co/w4KyxAxGra
🗣️"It's not been high on my list of priorities" Gareth Southgate gives his opinion on the new England kit 🏴 https://t.co/w4KyxAxGra
🗣️ "It's not been high on my list of priorities" Gareth Southgate gives his opinion on the new England kit. https://t.co/ZcpLAPAFab
Harvey Elliott playing with his collar up so no-one could see the modified St. George’s flag. 👀🏴 https://t.co/SugyhOMJPU
England's new men's soccer team shirt is out and it's causing a bit of a stir. And it's not just the price that's vexing some. https://t.co/7JkHt1CSGO
NEW: UK PM says ‘don’t mess with flag’ after uproar at Nike’s new England football kit https://t.co/fnorppKeIs
FA defends multicoloured cross on England shirt as tribute to 1966 team https://t.co/4PqBeG26a7
‘It’s erasing history,’ ex-England player fumes as he calls for shirt to be changed back after fury over ‘woke’ cross https://t.co/qAk78y37dx
'I think our culture is being taken away little by little... we can't say Happy Christmas anymore, we have to say Happy Holidays.' 'But we can and we do.' @ShelaghFogarty tries to understand why caller Sue is 'so upset' by Nike's update to the flag on the England football kit. https://t.co/rSNwmdqQQd
Harvey Elliott appears to hide the controversial England flag while debuting new kit as he played with his collar turned up 👀 There are calls for the kit to be recalled as MPs offer their thoughts 🗣 https://t.co/lWqBtEROed https://t.co/feYgKAbMG3
🚨 Nike say in statement that "it was never our intention to offend" with new England kit design and the "intention was to celebrate the heroes of 1966 and their achievements" https://t.co/USqVgJaibs
The Football Association is standing by the controversial design of the new England shirt despite criticism from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer https://t.co/nh2KKYRlwO
'Englishness is targeted' Neil Oliver blasts 'Nike wouldn't play with any other flag!' https://t.co/sKctbfETN4
Fans spot Liverpool star Harvey Elliott turning up his collar to hide controversial England badge in 5-1 win for U21s https://t.co/l840XCTvxi
‘I have some green cushions at home and they are the design of the union flag…is Britain’s identity somehow crushed by the use of the flag in this way?’ @ShelaghFogarty finds the row over the England football team’s new shirt ‘utterly ridiculous’. https://t.co/0Ie8uT3UUO
Nike changing our England kit is borderline offensive & utter cobblers - shame on them, says Colin Robertson https://t.co/YJWl3icSux
OMG wait until the flag fetishists remember the 2011 Umbro shirt had the St George’s Cross in four colours to represent England’s diversity. They’ll have to emigrate. https://t.co/B1Quj7g9zc https://t.co/GSKEGR5B0x
Yes the flag thing is weird but the real scandal is the FA letting Nike rip people off to the tune of £85 in the middle of a cost of living crisis. They bang on about football being for everybody and then ask them to cough up £85 for the national shirt.
Nike's new England men's soccer shirt is causing a stir with its recolored flag https://t.co/5fFsuv9TOv
Flag fetishists foaming over the artistic small St George’s Cross on England football shirts - that includes you, Starmer and Sunak - need to get a life. I don’t particularly like it but the design isn’t unpatriotic or treason. The real issue is a £124.99 price tag.
Nike’s new England men’s soccer shirt is causing a stir with its recolored flag https://t.co/mmHtPQaaly
EXCLUSIVE: David Seaman reveals what his England players would have done over Nike flag change https://t.co/WHZeQMTS4E
'I wear my England shirt with pride - Interfering with our history!' Lee Anderson hits out at Nike flag change https://t.co/BMWIYMtX7r
The color change to the St. George Cross prompted backlash from some fans and criticism from politicians https://t.co/Sct25igU1D
Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer unite to hit out at Nike's England kit change https://t.co/9rhGwXRYTU
The Football Association have responded to calls from some fans to scrap the new England kit 🚨💬 https://t.co/ERNWD1sCjy https://t.co/HilaQZ3CIE
🚨 NEW: The FA has no intention of recalling the shirt https://t.co/TBgfgJImkr
JUST IN - England shirt for Euro 2024 with "woke" cross will not be recalled by the FA despite backlash from legends and fans — The Sun https://t.co/GF7nh6ND85
BREAKING: An FA Spokesperson has said that "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". https://t.co/YoP7WDscgb
NEW | England football shirt row. FA says design is a tribute to 1966 World Cup winners. https://t.co/V9WyLqEdH5
#ENG shirt rumpus latest: @FA: "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…
BREAKING: FA has no intention of recalling new England shirt ️⚽️🔗 https://t.co/5XynOuZdez 📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube https://t.co/HJHBadi9vn
Nike Give England Shirt Another "Playful" LGBTQ+ Makeover FA: "It's time the Three Lions played with Pride" Full story: https://t.co/8fDWHcH9p0 https://t.co/YZdmQYNM78
Nike Give England Shirt Another "Playful" LGBTQ+ Makeover FA: "It's time the Three Lions played with Pride" https://t.co/u7XB00rCK8
Keir Starmer has waded into the Nike England shirt row, proving to critics that he is capable of taking a principled stance on an issue, just as long as that issue is utterly meaningless https://t.co/b8QjNhiFQ6
Forget the outrage over flags and whether it's a "playful update" or an attack on our identity and 1,000 years of English history. The real scandal is that an England shirt now costs more than flights to Euro 2024. Comment @iPaperSport ⤵️⤵️⤵️ https://t.co/eOzlfVETqW
🏴ENGLAND SHIRT BACKLASH! 🏳️⚧️ Join me on @GBNEWS 1.20pm for a feisty debate on Nike's St George's Cross PR disaster Was this "playful" - or sacrilege? Woke, LGTQ buffoonery? Or do we need to get over it? Let me know your thoughts below, I'll read plenty out on my show, 3-6pm… https://t.co/4ZIcFVub5D
'Don't mess with our flag!' Britain FURIOUS over new England kit as Tories, Labour, Lib Dems and Reform UK unite to condemn 'WOKE' St George's Cross @GBNEWS https://t.co/Dl4jf2WPVZ
"If you make changes to the flag, there's going to be differences of opinion" 💬 Former FA managing director Adrian Bevington on the controversy surrounding England's new Euro 2024 kit 👇 https://t.co/Nw76o87qIa
'Imagine if they put purple on the French tricolour.' 'It's just a bit weird, isn't it.' @EmilyThornberry echoes the view of Keir Starmer regarding the St George's Cross design on the back of the new England football kit. https://t.co/zVJD8OjaTQ
🏴 Flag controversy 💬 Fan reaction 💰 Staggering cost ⚽ FA's stance The England kit has dominated headlines this week https://t.co/MAdUiHRca7 https://t.co/QAwK0pebSf
WATCH NOW: England icon Peter Shilton fears 'more changes' after kit design sparks big backlash https://t.co/whhZ7fhPBX
England shirt row sees fans threaten to boycott £125 top over ‘woke cross’ as star asks ‘are Three Lions next?’ https://t.co/vcaszbrCho
NEW Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats unite to condemn US company Nike for its new 'rainbow' cross of St George on the England Euro football shirt. ⚽️ Culture secretary Lucy Frazer says the rainbow cross on the shirts is "pointless and unnecessary". ⚽️ Labour leader…
NEW Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats unite to condemn US company Nike for its new 'rainbow' cross of St George on the England Euro football shirt. ⚽️Culture secretary Lucy Frazer says the rainbow cross on the shirts is "pointless and unnecessary". ⚽️Labour leader Sir…
Yet another own goal from Nike's woke warriors: From Mary Earps goalkeeping shirt to partnership with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney and now St George's flag overhaul, how US sports giant has been at centre of controversy https://t.co/SaUOuVWlvQ https://t.co/C0nA9nm2sr
England shirt anger over ‘woke cross’ escalates as footie legends Peter Shilton & David Seaman ask ‘when will it stop?’ https://t.co/MebbqSQdTA
'Where would it stop once it starts? Is the next shirt going to have more changes?' Peter Shilton says he is 'totally against' the modification of the St George’s Cross on the new England kit. 🔓 Become a GB News Member: https://t.co/mNsRsGC8ef https://t.co/y9YG1s7VaI
‘Absolute nonsense! The FA should hang their heads in shame.’ Lee Anderson slams the FA for allowing the St George’s flag to be altered on the new England shirt. 📺 Freeview 236, Sky 512, Virgin 604 https://t.co/C9WHvBBAko
Dear Sir, I write regarding the recent outrage propounded upon the Union Jack by Nike, with a solution. I note that the flag was reimagined for the 2012 Olympics: no one seemed to mind that for reasons that escape me but probably because Twitter was more sane (cont p94) https://t.co/UW4jUzP8sq
Yet another own goal from Nike's woke warriors: From row over Mary Earps goalkeeping shirt, its partnership with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney and now its St George's flag overhaul, how US sport's giants has been at centre of controversy https://t.co/o60RoXiniF https://t.co/06ZkAdjNq7
‘A defilement of our flag!’ Comedians RAGE at altered St George's cross on England football kit https://t.co/prEtIsJ9z4
✍️ 'American clothing giant wants to ‘disrupt history’ with reimagined flag on England shirt but ferocity of response should be a warning' | Writes @oliverbrown_tel Read the full column below ⬇️ https://t.co/WPIzDrc9Cf https://t.co/BlKKlSu6lK
Nike show lack of understanding of #ENG football with re-coloured cross on home shirt. More concerning is cost: £119.99 for kids authentic shirt (£64.99 replica). “With a national squad as historic as England, tradition must be honoured," says Nike of design. Expensive tradition.
While there seems to be a media frenzy about a tiny part of the design of the England shirt, for me, they are missing the real story. The cost! Earlier this week, I wrote to the Chief Executive of the @FA to rethink the licensing of @EnglandFootball shirts. https://t.co/tcodbU9RzX
Furious backlash over ‘rainbow coloured abomination’ £125 England shirt with blue and purple St George’s Cross https://t.co/AuDKMEyV2q
PS never mind the fact the new English football kits shirts cost £125 (£85 for the lesser 'stadium version') amidst a cost of living crisis!
What do YOU think of the St George's Cross on Nike's new England shirt? Vote now in our exclusive poll https://t.co/PWm0IglXoE https://t.co/Okt3a5ttbA
'Leave our flag alone!': Furious ex-FA boss and England stars round on woke Nike for replacing red and white St George's flag with a 'rainbow coloured abomination' - as David Seaman asks: 'are they going to change three lions to three cats?' https://t.co/gznTu3PLiu https://t.co/3n1gPWjrOy
When Sir @Keir_Starmer weighs in to scrap your @nikefootball Omnisexual-type false St George's Flag, you really need to wake up. Whether this is political opportunism or a sincere opinion, #GoWokeGoBroke has never been more apt. https://t.co/YMrKyXaOas
🔴 Lee Anderson among those to blast Nike’s ‘playful update’ to England flag, calling it ‘virtue-signalling, namby-pamby, woke nonsense’ Read more ⬇️ https://t.co/2LJYptNNR0 https://t.co/dVI1Kttf7E
Few would have expected the launch of a new England home shirt to be the centre of a culture war, but a 'playful update' to the cross of St George on the collar has drawn fury from some fans and pundits. @JackPittBrooke has been left scratching his head.
'You wouldn't expect Nike to look at the Welsh flag and change the dragon to a pussycat.' Labour's @EmilyThornberry backs Keir Starmer's criticism of Nike for changing the cross of St George on the back of the new England kit https://t.co/Yp1Cu9IZt4 📺 Sky 501, YouTube https://t.co/w6dxhlFx3W
Nike must be clapping their hands about this England flag nonsense - a small design feature collecting all the outrage despite the match shirt (now £125) and replica shirt (now £85) each going up by *£10*. A kids shirt is £65! Be annoyed about them ripping fans off.
Glad to see so many others in politics and beyond now backing my previous calls to reinstate the real St George’s Cross and to drop the ridiculous prices being charged to fans by @Nike for the latest #England shirt 🏴⚽️👕 Next they’ll be replacing one of the lions with a zebra.
Keir Starmer joins calls for Nike to change colour of flag on new England kit | ITV News https://t.co/kCDExP60r1
Sorry but this is wrong on every level I’m totally against it ! Including the price that @nikefootball are going to charge 🏴🏴🏴😡#rippingofffans @England https://t.co/xOF7sVpX9j
Absolutely unbelievable that Nike and the FA think they have the right to change our country's flag. Some things are untouchable. It doesn't belong to them! It's who we are, and where we're from. I won't be buying it (and I doubt many others will either at £120 a pop!)…
'I think it's a bit weird' Labour's Shadow Attorney General Emily Thornberry spoke to #BBCBreakfast after the new England football shirt featured different colours in the cross of St George https://t.co/03sQbOHmGK https://t.co/fd0Or3Ldcv