Poppy motif at soccer friendly
London, Nov. 8: England and Germany’s players will wear black armbands bearing commemorative poppy motifs in Friday’s friendly at Wembley, the Football Association announced on Wednesday.
It comes after world governing body Fifa backed down in its row with British football authorities over the wearing of poppies, which are worn to remember Britain’s war dead.
Friday’s match falls the day before the 99th anniversary of the Armistice signed by Britain and Germany at the end of World War I.
“Remembering and commemorating the men and women who have served this country is ingrained in our nation,” said FA chief executive Martin Glenn in a press release.
“Many have made the ultimate sacrifice and we will be honouring them, both on and off the pitch, for our match against Germany.
“I would like to thank the DFB (German Football Federation) for also agreeing to wear the poppy for the match, in a show of solidarity and unity at this important time.”
DFB president Reinhard Grindel said: “I positively welcome the decision to allow both the English and the German national teams to wear poppy armbands, because these are not about political propaganda in any way.
“They’re about remembering the kind of values that were kicked to the ground in two World Wars but are cherished by football: respect, tolerance and humanity.”
Last year, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were fined by Fifa for wearing or displaying poppies, which Fifa said were “political symbols”.
British Prime Minister Theresa May described it as “outrageous” and the FA said it would appeal against its sanction at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.