Alan Shearer and Rio Ferdinand believe the discussion around England and their decision not to wear the OneLove armband against Iran is not one Gareth Southgate's players should have to deal with.
The OneLove armband was symbol to promote diversity and inclusion in Qatar, where same-sex relationships are outlawed.
England captain Harry Kane had planned to walk out wearing the armband for their World Cup opener against Iran, only for FIFA to rule that players would be booked for doing so.
READ MORE: England scrap Harry Kane rainbow armband plan - but Gareth Southgate announces pre-match gesture
As a result, the seven nations who had planned to wear the armband have now decided they will not due to FIFA's ruling.
With the story unfolding overnight and developing further on Monday morning, it was hardly the ideal start to England's World Cup campaign ahead of their opener against Iran.
And speaking on the BBC's World Cup coverage, former Newcastle United forward Shearer and ex-Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand believe that while the ruling by FIFA is a scandalous one, it should not be up to the players to have to deal with the fallout of the decision.
Shearer said: "I don't think it's fair on the players having to deal with this on the morning of a game. They've done incredible work off the pitch, including during the pandemic. The FA knew it was in the rulebook that they weren't allowed to wear the armbands so having to face these questions is unfair.
"It's not fair they have to deal with this on the morning of one of the biggest games they will ever play. The morning of a World Cup game, you're about to kick-off - all they should be thinking about is how they're going to win this game. It would have made a huge statement. Can you imagine Harry Kane coming out with that armband on and what FIFA would have done?"
Ferdinand added: "They can't win as a footballer. You're damned if you do, damned if you don't. If you speak out people say 'You're not a politician, be quiet' and if they don't speak out it's the opposite. It's very difficult.
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