Why England players won't have names on their shirts in Belgium friendly

England players will wear shirts with no names on the back during the second half of their international friendly with Belgium on Tuesday night to raise awareness of dementia.

The change after the interval is being done to highlight how those affected by this issue, of which there are believed to be 55 million people worldwide, lose precious memories such as the names of their favourite footballers.

This move is part of an ongoing partnership between the Alzheimer's Society and the Football Association, having also executed the same procedure during a friendly win over Switzerland in March 2022. The match-worn shirts from Tuesday's clash will subsequently be auctioned to support research being done by the Alzheimer's Society.

Kate Lee, the charity’s chief executive, said: “We hope this striking gesture with the players’ shirts will once again get fans across the country talking, and thinking about the signs and symptoms of dementia.

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“By using football to shine a spotlight and increase awareness of dementia symptoms, we hope to not only encourage fans to donate towards our early diagnosis research, but also to support their loved ones just as much as they support their football team.

“This means taking crucial first steps in seeking a diagnosis if they suspect someone they care about may be affected. A diagnosis can be daunting but it’s better to know.”

England were beaten 1-0 by Brazil in their meeting at Wembley on Saturday evening, Endrick scoring the game's only goal. Manchester