England fans divided over St George’s Cross colour change on new shirt

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Football fans at Wembley were divided over the England team’s new shirt after the controversial colour change to the St George’s Cross on the kit.

One supporter attending Saturday evening’s friendly against Brazil said the FA should “burn” the new football shirts after manufacturer Nike changed the colour of the St George’s Cross on the back of the kit’s collar.

However, many other supporters said they did not mind the change, with a young fan who was wearing the new kit saying it was “still the same England flag”.

Nike had altered the appearance of the St George’s Cross using purple and blue horizontal stripes in what it called a “playful update” to the shirt ahead of Euro 2024.

However, the decision has proven controversial, with both Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer criticising the change.

England fan Judith Gibbons, from Huddersfield, said the change in the colour of the flag from red to purple and blue “shouldn’t have been made”.

Speaking outside Wembley before Saturday evening’s friendly against Brazil, Ms Gibbons, who did not give her age, said: “I don’t think you should be messing with tradition.”

Ms Gibbons said the shirts “should be taken back” by the FA, adding: “I think they should burn them.”

However, another England fan said she did not understand why people “are so riled up” over the change to the colour of the St George’s Cross on the new shirt.

Speaking outside Wembley, Charlotte Prince, 24, said: “It doesn’t affect your life so I don’t understand why people are so riled up about it.

“I personally just don’t care enough.”

Ms Prince, who is from London, added: “I also saw that they changed the colour of the flag at the 2012 Olympics and no-one seemed to care then.”

She added that she thought social media was “probably” inspiring much of the opposition to the change.

A young England fan who was wearing the national team’s new shirt said he did not care about the change to the St George’s Cross as it was the “same England flag”.

Speaking outside Wembley Stadium, eight-year-old Sully said he thought the new blue and purple cross on the shirt “looked good”.

Having travelled with his family from Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, to attend the match in London, he said of the controversy: “I don’t really care because it’s still the same England flag.”

Brazil won the game 1-0 thanks to teenager Endrick’s effort.