England will take the knee before their upcoming Nations League games against Iceland and Denmark, as the national team players show a unified front on fighting racism within football and wider society.

Wednesday marks 100 days since the murder of George Floyd sparked Black Lives Matter protests around the world, and this generation of England players will demonstrate their commitment by bringing the symbolic gesture to a Three Lions fixture for the first time.

Speaking to the press yesterday, Mason Greenwood spoke about the squad's decision to take the knee and why he's behind calls for players to continue taking a knee in the new Premier League season:

"We more than likely will be doing that [taking the knee]. It’s a big thing in football. Everyone notices it. A lot of people watch football. It’ll send a good message out there for everyone and for my part I’d like to see it happen next season as well.

As the Premier League we’re trying to send a message to the whole world that it’s important for everyone to know the reasons why: we don’t want racism in football or anywhere in the world."

https://twitter.com/vsrsus/status/1273303683544035333

It's essential for the England national team and the FA to fight racism and discrimination with more visibility and more real-world impact than ever before. Gareth Southgate's latest squad features 10 black players but racism isn't their fight alone – it's everyone's job to push back against systemic oppression and create an environment where racism isn't tolerated.

The FA has a long way to go but supporting players in taking a knee this weekend – and dismissing any outdated idea that "football and politics don't mix" – is a positive step forward.