The picture shows the new England kit which has caused debate over the last week.
What is the debate about?
The new kit, designed by Nike, has a tiny cross on the back of the collar. The cross of St George is usually red in colour. On the new kit, purples and blues have been added.
This is not the first time there has been a debate about different colours on England football shirts. In 2010 a shirt was designed by Peter Saville and his original idea was to use the shape of the St George flag in an array of different colours across the shirt.
Peter says, "It's a very colourful society. I live in a colourful nation. I wanted the shirt to be for everyone because when the national team are playing it is for everyone. No one should be excluded."
"I thought it was pretty topical ten years ago; maybe it's even more so now." Peter says his aim was to capture the pride he feels when he sees the diversity of the England team on the pitch.
In the end, Peter's design was minimised and there were only different colours on the shoulders. Peter says he was disappointed because the changes were so small that no one noticed them and at the time it wasn't discussed.
The 2024 kit is certainly being talked about and some people are calling it disrespectful, arguing the original design using the St George flag should not be changed. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the St George's flag a "source of pride" which we "shouldn't mess with." Labour Leader Keir Starmer said the flag was a unifying symbol that doesn't need changing.
Other people are arguing the St George's cross has not always been on the England shirt; the cross only became a regular feature in the 2000s and has only featured on 6 kits in total. The 2022 kit did not feature the St George's cross at all. The colours on the cuffs are inspired by the 1966 England team training gear. Others ague the real debate should be about the cost of the kit for fans to buy.
- What are flags for?
- why do you think there is such a debate about this?
- "It's a very colourful society. I live in a colourful nation. I wanted the shirt to be for everyone because when the national team are playing it is for everyone. No one should be excluded." what is Peter Saville saying here?
- why do you think Peter's design was minimised so much in 2010?
- "I thought it was pretty topical ten years ago; maybe it's even more so now." What does Peter mean by this?
- what is meant by the "diversity of the England team"?
- why do you think politicians are getting involved in the debate?
- do you agree that flags are "unifying"? What does that mean?
- What is your opinion?
- why is this about No Outsiders?
- Which British Value is this story about?
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