’It isn’t the St George’s flag’: Gareth Southgate downplays England Nike kit controversy

England manager Gareth Southgate downplayed Nike’s altered St George’s Cross on their kit after the sporting brand’s decision angered some fans online. Nike, which makes the kit for England’s national soccer teams, unveiled its new design this week, which it said paid homage to the country’s 1966 World Cup-winning men’s team. It features the St. George’s Cross, red on a white background and England’s national flag, in shades of red, blue and purple on the back of the shirt collar. Nike called the change a “playful update“ that was meant to “unite and inspire“, adding that the design “disrupts history with a modern take on a classic“.