Why are England wearing nameless shirts in second half against Belgium today?

England welcome Belgium to Wembley later tonight in the final game before Gareth Southgate names his squad for Euro 2024.

The Three Lions, however, will have a different look about them for the second half of the friendly at Wembley.

England’s shirts will have no names on them after the break as the match has been dedicated as an ‘Alzheimer’s Society International’ as part of the Football Association (FA) and Alzheimer’s Society’s official charity partnership.

The nameless shirts originally appeared at the first Alzheimer's Society International against Switzerland at Wembley in 2022, and are being repeated against Belgium.

Why are England wearing nameless shirts in second half against Belgium?

The gesture is to support the Alzheimer’s Society and in recognition of the 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK.

The names will disappear from the England players’ shirts when they return to the pitch after half-time against Belgium, to highlight how people with dementia lose vital memories - even the names of their favourite footballers.

The custom shirts are being donated by the England squad and auctioned to raise funds to support the Alzheimer’s Society’s research into early diagnosis.

Kate Lee, Alzheimer's Society CEO, said: “We hope this striking gesture with the player’s shirts will once again get fans across the country talking, and thinking about the signs and symptoms of dementia.

“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.”