The England squad has smartened up in crisp M&S suits for an official team photograph ahead of its first game tomorrow.
Gareth Southgate appeared to have ditched his famous waistcoats for the Euro 2020 tournament after he sent sales of the garment soaring during the World Cup in 2018.
Photographs of the team’s final pre-tournament photoshoot at St. George’s Park, released this weekend, show the England stars as they are decked out in navy suits with striped ties.
Aston Villa skipper Jack Grealish was forced to seek help with his tie from Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson.
And Manchester City winger Phil Foden also appeared to struggle with his tie, before eventually succeeding.
Several players were handed their first physical caps ahead of the photoshoot, with Ben White, Kalvin Phillips, Ben Chilwell and Jadon Sancho all caught with large smiles as they held theirs.
Photographs of the team’s final pre-tournament photoshoot at St. George’s Park, released this weekend, show the England stars as they are decked out in navy suits with striped ties
Phil Foden of England does up his tie at St George’s Park in Burton upon Trent ahead of the Euro 2020 tournament
Aston Villa skipper Jack Grealish (pictured) was forced to seek help with his tie from Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson
Southgate, 50, appeared to be pondering the upcoming matches, as he held a serious expression for the majority of the images – before cracking a smile in one photograph
Several players were handed their first physical caps ahead of the photoshoot, with Ben White, Kalvin Phillips, Ben Chilwell and Jadon Sancho all caught with large smiles as they held theirs. Pictured, Phil Foden, Kieran Trippier and Raheem Sterling
Southgate, 50, appeared to be pondering the upcoming matches, as he held a serious expression for the majority of the images – before cracking a smile in one photograph.
The former defender has ditched the £65 navy M&S waistcoat that sent football viewers quaking during the World Cup three years ago.
Sales of waistcoats, which Southgate wore for every one of his three touchline appearances at England matches, rocketed by 35 per cent, according to M&S at the time.
This year Southgate has chosen to match his squad with a simple white shirt underneath a blazer.
It comes ahead of England’s first Euro 2020 match on Sunday, with Southgate set to unleash an array of attacking talent against Croatia.
Raheem Sterling won his race to start the European Championship opener.
Sterling was awarded an MBE on Friday night in the Queen‘s Birthday honours for services to racial equality. ‘It’s a proud moment – not just for myself but for my family,’ he said. England team-mate Jordan Henderson won an MBE too, for services to charity.
And Sterling is expected to start at Wembley, with Southgate throwing caution to the wind in his bid to get off to a winning start. Doubt had surrounded whether he would be in the XI.
Jordan Pickford and Dean Henderson of England share a joke during the Squad photo session
Ben Chilwell and Jadon Sancho are pictured with their caps at St George’s Park during the photoshoot
Dominic Calvert-Lewin buttons up his shirt as the team get suited and booted for the photoshoot
Mason Mount is pictured in the M&S navy suit with brown shoes and his team cap during the photoshoot
Ben White and Kalvin Phillips are pictured with their team caps ahead of the Euro 2020
The Manchester City forward has been one of Southgate’s untouchables in recent years, but Sterling has lost his place in Pep Guardiola’s side. Southgate, though, is leaning towards keeping faith in Sterling.
Having experimented with a back three in training, he is also giving serious consideration to sticking with the four-man defence he used during the warm-up wins over Austria and Romania.
A back four would allow Southgate to field an extra attacking player. And with Harry Kane, Mason Mount and Sterling expected to start, two of Marcus Rashford, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish would miss out.