Why England players have no names on shirts against Switzerland

England player names have been removed from their shirts at half-time

Eagle-eyed England fans may have noticed that Gareth Southgate's players took to the field for the second half of their friendly against Switzerland on Saturday with no names on the back of their shirts. The Three Lions breezed through World Cup qualifying unbeaten and are hoping to use the game at Wembley as an opportunity to build on their momentum with the big kick-off in Qatar now only a matter of months away. The game is also being used as an opportunity to send an important message - carried by the nameless shirts the England players are wearing for the second half.

Why England players have no names their shirts

Although the names of England's players appeared on the back of their shirts in the first half, they were removed at half-time to support Alzheimer’s Society, who the Football Association announced as their official charity partner last year. 900,000 people - enough to fill ten Wembley Stadiums - are living with dementia and the gesture aims to draw attention to how those people lose precious memories, including the names of their favourite players. The simple adjustment to the England players' shirts therefore contains a powerful message, aimed to place those watching in the shoes of people living with dementia.

Football should be 'unforgettable'

"As the squad walk out in these thought-provoking shirts, we hope it will get fans up and down the country to sit up and take note of the reality of living with dementia," said Kate Lee, CEO at Alzheimer’s Society. "Football should be unforgettable - I hope it makes a massive impact that ripples from the Royal Box to the stands and into homes across the nation, inspiring people to support our work to raise awareness and reduce stigma and help us make sure no-one faces dementia alone." The nameless shirts worn by the players are to be auctioned off after the game to raise vital funds to allow Alzheimer's Society to carry out their important work.

If you, or anyone you know is worried about their memory, go to alzheimers.org.uk to get support.

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