The alteration made to the flag on the new England football team shirt has caused a significant stir. Nike, the sponsor of the English national team, changed the appearance of St. George's cross in the English flag by using horizontal purple and blue lines, calling it a "playful update" to the shirt ahead of the Euro Championship scheduled for next summer in Germany. The company and the English Football Association indicated that "the colors of the cross (purple, blue, and red) on the back of the collar, which differ from the traditional red cross on a white background, are inspired by the training kits worn by the team that won the World Cup in 1966."
However, the decision led to an angry reaction from some fans and former players, with several senior politicians also weighing in. Rishi Sunak pointed out that he "prefers the original shirt" for England, adding to reporters: "My general view is that when it comes to our national flags, we shouldn’t mess with them because they are a source of pride, our identity, who we are, and they are perfect as they are."
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, whose responsibilities include sports, remarked that the FA and Nike did not consider the fans first, adding on “X”: "Our national heritage, including St. George's cross, brings us together. Tampering with it is meaningless and unnecessary."
Nike stated that "there was no intention to offend at all," but did not indicate any desire to change the design. The FA announced in a separate statement that it is proud of the new design, also referencing its connection to the 1966 World Cup team. A spokesperson noted that "it is not the first time that different designs inspired by St. George's cross have been used on England's shirts."