England v Belgium: Why do players not have names on shirts? | Football
England stars are set to wear shirts without names on the back in the second half of their Euro 2024 warm-up friendly against Belgium on Tuesday.
The Three Lions are involved in a campaign to raise awareness around dementia following a partnership between Alzheimer’s Society and the Football Association.
The blank space – where the player’s name usually would be – is intended to highlight how people with dementia can lose their precious memories.
Nameless shirts were first worn for the match against Switzerland in March 2022 and the latest batch will will be auctioned to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society.
‘We hope this striking gesture with the player’s shirts will once again get fans across the country talking, and thinking about the signs and symptoms of dementia,’ Alzheimer’s Society chief executive Kate Lee said.
‘By using football to shine a spotlight and increase awareness of dementia symptoms, we hope to not only encourage fans to donate towards our early diagnosis research, but also to support their loved ones just as much as they support their football team.
‘This means taking crucial first steps in seeking a diagnosis if they suspect someone they care about may be affected. A diagnosis can be daunting but it’s better to know.’
England’s clash against Belgium at Wembley is their second international fixture in March following a 1-0 defeat to Brazil on Saturday.
Brentford star Ivan Toney is set to start the match against Belgium, England boss Gareth Southgate has confirmed, with main striker Harry Kane ruled out.
Meanwhile, Harry Maguire will not feature after withdrawing from the squad due to injury.
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