Why England are wearing ‘nameless shirts’ against Belgium

The blank shirts are to raise awareness of dementia

England players will again wear shirts without names on the back in the second half of their friendly against Belgium this evening as part of a campaign to raise awareness of dementia.

The ‘disappearance’ of the names from the first half to the second is intended to highlight how people with dementia can lose precious memories.

The move is part of an ongoing partnership between Alzheimer‘s Society and the Football Association, with nameless shirts first worn for the match against Switzerland in March 2022. The Lionesses also supported the cause in a friendly against Australia in April of last year.

The custom shirts will be auctioned after the match to raise funds to support Alzheimer‘s Society research.

Kate Lee, the charity’s chief executive, said: “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.

“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.”

PA