England’s players decided not to wear names on the back of their shirts for the second half of the friendly against Switzerland to raise awareness about dementia.
The match was officially renamed the “Alzheimer’s Society International” following a partnership between the English FA and the charity in order to highlight how dementia sufferers lose vital memories, including struggling to remember names, it was agreed by the squad that they would wear nameless jerseys for the second half.
The quirky stunt was intended as an attempt to provoke a reaction among the 90,000 supporters at Wembley and the many more fans watching on television.
Around 900,000 people live with dementia and the players’ shirts will be auctioned after the match to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society’s work.
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“Football should be unforgettable – I hope it makes a massive impact that ripples from the Royal Box to the stands and into homes across the nation, inspiring people to support our work to raise awareness and reduce stigma and help us make sure no-one faces dementia alone.”
The FA partnered with the leading dementia charity and the organisations will work together for the next two seasons on a number of initiatives.
The Alzheimer’s Society hopes collaborating with the FA will raise crucial funds for support services and help tackle stigma around the condition.
The society also plans to work with the FA to better understand the causes of dementia and ensure the FA’s funding prioritises the most up-to-date and appropriate research to protect current and future footballers.
The leading dementia charity estimates that dementia costs the UK economy £26bn per year and claims that dementia deaths are rising every year. It predicts around 225,000 people will develop dementia in 2022.
Speaking to i earlier this week, 1966 World Cup hero Sir Geoff Hurst said he hoped the friendly would help to make it easier to talk about the condition.
“Football should be unforgettable. It’s more than half-a-century after I walked up the steps to the Royal Box at Wembley Stadium, the memories of that momentous day in July 1966 still fresh in my mind,” Hurst said.
“I fully support the partnership between the Football Association and Alzheimer’s Society, which will raise crucial funds and awareness, so people with dementia can continue to make memories and remain part of the game.”
He added: “I think it’s important to be able to speak out about dementia and not let it be something hidden, so it doesn’t become a stigma in society… people need to talk openly about it and know they have some network they can go to.”
If you, or anyone you know is worried about their memory, go to alzheimers.org.uk to get support.
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