Gareth Southgate says the England dressing room would “fully support” a gay footballer and would “give them a hug” as the Three Lions prepare to kick off the World Cup in Qatar.
England is starting its World Cup in Qatar this month, but the country is plagued by human rights problems.
Homosexuality is illegal in the country and FIFA has asked participating countries to “focus on football”.
But Southgate has encouraged his players to “shine a light” on important issues.
Harry Kane will wear a OneLove rainbow bracelet during the tournament to promote inclusivity
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Gareth Southgate believes his England dressing room would be “totally supportive” of a gay footballer in their ranks and would “give them a hug”.
Southgate is preparing to take the Three Lions to Qatar later this month for the World Cup, and while England are among the favorites to lift the Cup, human rights issues in the host country have clouded what should be a matter of celebration.
Homosexuality is prohibited in the country and can lead to a prison sentence of up to seven years, while thousands of foreign workers reportedly died while building the stadiums in which the tournament will be held.
And while FIFA’s leadership has told teams to “focus on football” during the tournament, Southgate evidently does not share that perspective.
“If we can shine a light on things that we think could be different and better, then I think we have a responsibility to do that,” he said in an interview with German publication WELT.
Gareth Southgate has backed his England players to ‘shine a light’ on important issues
‘In the end, human beings will be judged by the impact we had on society, how we treat people.
“Of course in football people will be judged on trophies, medals and success, but probably somewhere in the middle is where you’d like to be.”
England plan to take a stand against homophobia during the tournament, as captain Harry Kane will wear a OneLove rainbow armband, although FIFA has yet to approve the plan.
As Sportsmail previously reported, England and Wales will wear the armbands despite facing a fine for breaching the ban on political activities.
The FA is determined Harry Kane will wear a OneLove bracelet despite a possible ban
The OneLove campaign will see the participation of eight other European countries, including Germany and France, and will aim to promote inclusion and oppose discrimination during the World Cup.
Qatari officials have insisted that members of the LGBTQ+ community will be welcome at the World Cup, though the nation has refused to change its laws ahead of the tournament.
Qatar World Cup boss Nasser Al Khater urged event attendees to be respectful of local culture.
England will seek to take another step in the World Cup after losing in the final of the European Championship last year
“At the end of the day, as long as you’re not doing anything that harms other people, if you’re not destroying public property, as long as you behave in a way that’s not harmful, then everyone is welcome and you have nothing to worry about.” he told Sky News.
‘From what I understand, there are discussions about the different political messages that are going to be given.
‘This is a sports tournament that people want to come and enjoy. Turning it into a platform for political statements I don’t think is right for the sport.’
The FA is seeking clarification on how gay fans will be treated during the tournament and, along with other European countries, is planning a forceful response to FIFA after president Gianni Infantino told them to stick to talking about football during the tournament. World Cup.
Separately, Gary Lineker has said he knows two Premier League players who are gay and said it would be “amazing if they came out during the World Cup”.
England began their tournament on November 21 against Iran.