The England football shirt has a long history, and a strong significance for fans. While feelings are the first to be associated with a shirt, politics follows closely. Every redesign or changes done to the shirt are a topic of discussion. The colours, the sponsors and everything that can be find on the shirt will be dissected by the fans. With all of the things happening in the world, fans seem to be angry when they see something they don’t like on a shirt. But maybe it’s a good thing that the shirt is used like this. Let’s take a look at some of the political elements of football shirts, and their impact.
The Origins of The Crest
Ever since 1870s, the three lions have been representing Englishness. They are a symbol of the English Royal Family, which is a direct symbol of monarchy. And, if you didn’t know, monarchy is one of the most hated political concepts. So, naturally, many people didn’t like that their national football team was associated with something that they didn’t approve of. The all-white shirt didn’t help the crest, as it enforced this idea of purity and tradition. Football was supposed to be about creativity, about freedom and winning, not monarchy.
Many fans felt, and still do, that football is the game of the people. And a crest that represents the Royal Family is not exactly pointing towards that. For those who don’t know, the crest has three lions, horizontally placed one above the other, with ten Tudor roses between and around them. The three lions date back to King Henry I. The crest should also be a symbol of strength and bravery, or at least that’s what the purpose was. Now, everyone interprets it differently. Some like it, and think it represents home, while others think of it as a little offensive.
The Design Choices
Every design choice that the brand makes for the England football shirt is going to be discussed. From the colour, to the pattern and even the collar. As you already know, and as it was already mentioned, there will always be two sides. The design of football shirts will also be a mirror of the world. Everyone is influenced, in one way or another, by what’s happening around us. And, sometimes, the patterns or colours chosen will reflect some of that. As an example, the use of different colours, like purple or blue, was not really loved by some fans. Why? They said that it’s too far from what’s traditional.
A polo collar will be considered too formal, which is again not to the liking of some. Similarly, when some rainbows were included in promotional materials, some people said that things like these have nothing to do with football. At the end of the day, it seems like every part of our lives is more or less political. The fans of football need to understand that everyone involved is human. From the ones designing, to the players and managers. Not every shirt needs to represent how strong the foot of a player is.
The England Football Shirt Caused Cultural Wars
A cultural war is when social groups compete against each other over values and beliefs. The strongest example, which was slightly mentioned earlier, is between the orthodox and the progressive ideologies. Check out this article by the News Centre discussing about how these cultural wars start. In football, some groups started appropriating St. George’s flag, and it slowly become a symbol of aggression, rather than strength. Each time the shirt pointed towards something progressive, like anti-racism symbols, the other side booed. While the team wanted to show support towards discriminated people; the discriminators said that it was not the place to talk of such things.
But that is not true, as we should fight against inequality with every chance we get. Politics is not invading sports, it’s all around us already. The field is no longer just a sport ground, but a platform. Messages of great impact can be send with the help of a shirt and players willing to wear it. A simple colour or pattern can show a group of people that they are not alone.
The Players Have Their Story
Each player has their own story, their own struggles, and goals they want to work towards. It happened many times for football players to feel discriminated, which is why it’s important to speak about it. While many players are proud of the team they are playing for, and proud to be representing their country, it’s also important for them to represent more than that. And while some fans respect the players’ courage to speak out, others think that they should just focus on playing.
An England football shirt should be a representation of more than just a game. It represents the players who are willing to play for that team or that country. Empathy is a value that many people seem to have lost, and football players try to bring it back. It’s essential to understand that football players have their own life stories that they cannot just leave outside the field. As long as the game is played by humans, and witnessed by humans, it will be political. Those who don’t want to accept this fact need to start watching robots playing football.
Conclusion
The England football shirt has been the topic of some interesting discussions over the many years of its life. To put it simply, football is political, just like everything else. The designs of the shirts will be influenced by what’s happening. And players will want to speak on topics that matter to them. People will always have an opinion, and most times, opinions will be either positive or negative, never all one. You might not like the crest because it’s a symbol of monarchy, but you have to admit that it’s also a symbol of strength. Or you might not like the use of rainbows in promotional content, but you have to admit that it’s not harming you.
