England Players Don Nameless Shirts in Support of Alzheimer's Awareness

During their recent friendly match against Belgium at Wembley, England football team sported nameless shirts in the second half. This remarkable gesture falls under a charity initiative undertaken by The Football Association (FA) and the Alzheimer’s Society.

This initiative is a part of 'Alzheimer’s Society International’, marking official charity partnership between the FA and Alzheimer’s Society. Originating at the first Alzheimer's Society International match against Switzerland at Wembley in 2022, the tradition continued against Belgium as part of the consciousness-raising effort for nearly 900,000 UK residents living with dementia.

The names disappearing from England players' shirts serves as a striking depiction of how individuals with dementia lose important memories, including the names of loved football stars. These custom-made shirts are further donated by the team and auctioned, with the proceeds going towards Alzheimer’s Society’s research focused on early diagnosis.

Alzheimer's Society CEO, Kate Lee, views this striking act as an influential step to spark dialogue about dementia, its signs, and symptoms, dually encouraging fans to donate for early diagnostics research and extend support to their loved ones battling the disease. She emphasized the importance of initial steps towards diagnosis, asserting that despite being daunting, it’s better to be informed.