Football pundit Gary Neville refused to sing God Save the Queen at Euro 96 in protest

Gary Neville said “stubbornness” was the reason he didn’t join in the national anthem at Wembley with his England team-mates

Football pundit Gary Neville has revealed he refused to sing God Save the Queen at Euro 96 in protest at being ordered to wear an ‘FA suit’.

Neville said “stubbornness” was the reason he didn’t join in with his England team-mates during the national anthem at Wembley.

The former Manchester United defender, 47, now says his attitude at the tournament was a “big mistake”.

He added: “I didn’t sing it when I first played for England… partly because I thought I was serious about my work and I don’t sing before a game.”

He said an FA boss, Geoff Thompson, told him after the 1995 Japan game: “You have to sing the anthem.”

Gary added, “I said, ‘Some suits don’t tell me what to do’.”

Liverpool player Trent Alexander-Arnold, 23, was criticized for failing to sing God Save the Queen while playing for England ahead of the June 4 game against Hungary.

Some Liverpoolers do not associate with the anthem due to the Tory government’s handling of the city in the 1980s and the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster.