English FA fined £53,000 by Fifa for players’ socks

The Football Association has been fined £53,211 for socks worn by some England players throughout the World Cup.

Fifa are coming down hard after "several members" of Gareth Southgate's squad ignored orders to stop wearing British brand TRUsox at the tournament in Russia. Raheem Sterling, Dele Alli and Eric Dier have all been pictured in the socks in an act which has been described as a breach of "media and marketing regulations and the Fifa equipment regulations" by football's governing body. Fifa claimed that several members of England's squad "continued to display unauthorised commercial branding on playing equipment items before and during the quarter-final match between Sweden and England". The socks feature non-slip pads, providing players the benefit of keeping their feet from moving inside their boots, and England's FA is not the only national football association to feel Fifa's wrath on the issue. The Swedish FA was also fined £53,211 after captain Andreas Granqvist ignored warnings to stop wearing the TRUsox product ahead of Saturday's quarter-final against the Three Lions. Fifa have a huge deal with sports apparel brand adidas and they seemingly have no time for players sporting unauthorised socks at their World Cup.