Fans have weighed in on the debate after England 's kit for the 2022 World Cup was leaked online.
Gareth Southgate 's side have just over four months to prepare for the tournament in Qatar, and while his 26-man squad remains undecided, it at least looks like we know what the Three Lions will be wearing come November. As per Footy Headlines, Nike 's latest effort harks back to Euro '96, when England played host.
A team led by Terry Venables including Southgate and Paul Gascoigne were kitted out in a classic white-navy-white strip, dashed with light blue trims, and memorably made the semi-finals. Now supporters will have those memories evoked when the stars of 2022 strut their stuff in Qatar, but not everyone is glad to see a fresh take on the classic strip.
"Worst one ever?" one fan posed on social media, while another added: "90s inspired again how predictable. England craving nostalgia of mediocrity." A third unhappy supporter went on to say: "This cut is not very flattering. It makes players look slopey shouldered."
A more articulated but still as scathing response read: "England's kits should ideally always have navy and red trim but this is promising, loved the 96 kit with its little flashes of turquoise. Just stop there please though and don't make a grey away kit…"
In similarly disgruntled fashion, a fifth lamented: "Well that's a rip roaring disappointment. With the colours chosen Nike had so much potential but a crap design and an even worse template has this one straight to the sale aisle." Nike took further flack, as another simply declared: "Bring Umbro back."
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Nevertheless, it'll be what the Three Lions do in the shirt that counts. Kicking off their campaign against Iran on November 21, England will hope to come into the tournament in better form than their previous round of matches. Southgate and co failed to win any of their four Nations League games in June, losing twice to Hungary and earning lacklustre draws against Italy and Germany.
The shocking 4-0 defeat at home to Hungary put the England boss under widespread scrutiny for the first time in his tenure, but the Football Association have backed him to lead the Three Lions to another successful tournament run in Qatar. In the aftermath of last month's matches, FA chair Debbie Hewitt heaped praise on Southgate for his work since taking over in 2016.
"My personal opinion on Gareth is that he is, by the facts on the pitch, the most successful England manager we've had for 55 years," Hewitt stated. "The bit people don't see as much is the Gareth at camp and the culture he's created. Certainly prior to Gareth being the manager of England, there was not the pride of wearing the England shirt.
"There were the club rivalries we'd read about, the players not getting on. He's changed that beyond recognition and I've seen that first hand. I'd also say that I don't just work in football, I work in business and I've worked with a lot of chief executives and Gareth's skills – his high IQ and high EQ – would make him a chief exec in any sphere.
"That resilience and accountability (are) the two qualities I admire most. There are no slopey shoulders, he doesn't huff, he's resilient and that's what you want in an England manager.
"Gareth's reaction, as in everything to that kind of conversation, is always 'it's my accountability, and there’s always something to learn'. That's why it's refreshing working with somebody like that because that openness to learn is quite remarkable and quite unusual in any sphere."
