Hungary fans have booed the England team for taking the knee during their Nations League fixture on Saturday night.
Over 36,000 spectators were allowed inside the Puskas Arena in Budapest for Saturday’s match against Hungary.
Gareth Southgate said he was surprised by the sheer volume of fans allowed inside the Puskas Arena in Budapest for Saturday’s game against Hungary.
Hungary fans booed the England team for taking the knee during their Nations League fixture
As it stands England have six games away from the World Cup in November with only one of those — the Nations League fixture against Germany on September 26 — at Wembley.
However, they did not expect the reception the received once they arrived for their Nation’s League game against Hungary on Saturday night.
England were booed by supporters as they took a knee ahead of the Nations League match against Hungary.
Southgate revealed England would also take advantage of the rule when England face Italy behind closed doors at Molineux on June 11 as punishment for the unrest at the Euro 2020 final, when the two countries met at Wembley.
Over 36,000 spectators were allowed inside the Puskas Arena as they watched England take the knee
Gareth Southgate said he was surprised by the sheer volume of fans allowed inside the Puskas Arena
While Hungary was waiting to serve a three-match ban from UEFA for the incidents which occurred at Euro 2020, they were handed a separate two-game ban by FIFA after further racist abuse was directed towards England’s players from the stands during a World Cup qualifier in September.
‘We’ve shown how we feel about these issues, in terms of racism and it’s unacceptability,’ said Southgate.
‘Hopefully the young people in the stadium will recognise why this opportunity has happened and in some ways maybe this will be part of the education for the next generation.
‘Each generation that passes will bring more tolerance and we have the same situation in our country, so we’ve got to keep setting the right example.
As it stands England have six games before the World Cup in November with only one of those — the Nations League fixture against Germany on September 26 — at Wembley
‘All being well, the young people will enjoy the game and take a bigger message from it.’
Southgate admitted allowing children and their guardians inside stadiums that are supposed to be closed as a result of fan behaviour was a ‘grey area’.
‘We are inviting children into Molineux as well,’ he added. ‘Players want to play in front of full stadia, but whether that is appropriate is for UEFA to decide.’
As it stands, UEFA have issued no comment on booing in Hungary.
