England footballers go German with new kit

London: For more than 40 years, England fans have wanted the national football team to be more like the Germans.

Now, it seems, they’ve got their wish. For the England team’s latest kit bears a striking resemblance to outfits worn by the West Germany team in 1966.

The kit, unveiled on Monday, was designed by Nike to mark the 150th anniversary of the Football Association. The white shirt with round navy collar, navy shorts and white socks are based on the strip worn in the first international match in 1872, when England played Scotland in Glasgow.

But the blue used is so dark that it appears almost black, rendering the kit uncannily like that worn by the Germans down the decades. It most resembles the West Germany jerseys of 1966, when England, playing in red, won 4-2 in the World Cup Final at Wembley.

While England have never again reached such heights, the Germans have since gone on to dominate international football.

It led ex-England striker Gary Lineker to tweet impishly: “Smart move by @FA and @nikefootball to go slightly German with the strip. If you can’t beat ‘em...”

Other supporters used social media to express their anger at the absence of red in the kit. One wrote: “New England shirt looks terrible, no effort made and looks like the old German shirt. What happened to the red, white and blue?” Another added: “What is with the white and navy? Our flag is red and white.”

England will wear the kit for the first time against Ireland at Wembley next week.