England players will take a knee at the European Championship despite fearing an adverse reaction after the anti-racism gesture was booed by their own fans before a warm-up game against Austria.
Fans had been shut out of England matches since 2019 until the 1-0 win against Austria in Middlesbrough, where the pre-match gesture was met by loud booing that was swiftly drowned out by the applause of others.
England midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who was on the bench for Wednesday’s match, said he was left “confused and disappointed” by the jeering.
The final warmup match before Euro 2020 _ against Romania on Sunday _ is also being played in the northeast town of Middlesbrough.
Southgate said he thinks about his players and their journeys when he takes the knee.
Southgate said there is probably a more impactful way of making a stand against inequality moving forward.
Players started taking a knee last year as part of calls to eradicate racial injustice in society following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
