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LONDON — The U.K.’s prime minister and leader of the opposition have united to condemn the design of a football kit.
Both Rishi Sunak and Labour Leader Keir Starmer criticized the Nike design of the English national team’s new kit, which features the St George’s Cross — England’s flag — in different colors from the traditional white and red.
Nike’s take on the England flag, which the designer says is a “playful update” to the St George’s Cross, adds navy, light blue and purple to the design, which appears on the back of the collar.
Starmer — who is the overwhelming favorite to win the next U.K. election — said Thursday night that the designer should “reconsider.” He was followed by Sunak, who criticized the change Friday.
“Obviously I prefer the original and when it comes to our national flags we shouldn’t mess with them, because they’re a source of pride, identity and who we are. And they’re perfect as they are,” the PM told ITV News.
The U.K.’s traditional third party, the Liberal Democrats, also waded in — with a spokesperson for the party telling POLITICO that it “seems a bit odd to change the colors of a nation’s flag on a football shirt, and it should be changed back.”
The political pressure is unlikely to pay off. Both England’s Football Association and Nike have defended the kit — and indicated that it won’t be recalled.
Amid the heightened publicity over the English kit design, Nike also nabbed another huge win Friday as it was confirmed the company had grabbed the contract to supply the German Football Federation from 2027. Germany’s football teams had been supplied by Adidas for more than 70 years.
