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Roy Keane believes not wearing the 'Onelove' armband yesterday was a mistake and that players should have stuck to their guns

Former Manchester United player Roy Keane hits back at Van Dijk again (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

FORMER IRELAND CAPTAIN Roy Keane believes the decision not to wear the 'Onelove' armband was a big mistake.

This week captains from the like of Germany, England, Wales, the U.S and other countries claimed they were going to wear the armband in solidary with the LGBTQ+ people in Qatar.

Before England's game against Iran, England captain Harry Kane said that he would be wearing the armband.

FA statement on the fact One Love armband will now not be used.

Shocking and spineless from them. pic.twitter.com/DtwDW9OeWO

— Ant Stonelake (@antstonelake) November 21, 2022

"I feel we've made it clear as a team, as a staff and as an organisation that we want to wear the armband."

"I know the FA are talking to FIFA at the moment. I'm sure by game time tomorrow they'll have their decision. We've made it clear that we want to wear it," Kane said on Sunday.

The likes of Gareth Bale (Wales) and Tyler Adams (U.S.A) were also set to wear the bands, but that never happened.

Yesterday before England's 6-2 win over Iran, The FA, The FAW (Wales) and other nations governing bodies asked the players not go ahead with the gesture due to the sanctions that were to come from FIFA.

A statement from the FA read: “FIFA has been very clear that it will impose sporting sanctions if our captains wear the armbands on the field of play."

According to reports wearing the armband would have resulted in a straight yellow for anyone that wore it yesterday.

The players who said they would wear the armbands days previously backed down after FIFA's threats.

Kane speaking after the game explained why he didn't wear the armband

"Look, it's out of our control as players. I'm sure the FA and FIFA will continue those discussions but most importantly today we focused on the game and got a great result, "said Kane after the 6-2 win.

"You've seen over the last five years we've made a stand as a squad, and we'll continue to do that as much as we can. We took a knee today as well but sometimes these decisions aren't up to us and that's the bottom line."

Keane, who was doing punditry work for ITV was not impressed with the U-turn and claimed it was a big mistake not to go ahead with the symbolic gesture

"I think the players could have done it for the first game," Keane said ahead of USA vs Wales on Monday evening.

"They should have taken the punishment – whatever that might be. Kane might have been risking getting a yellow card if that was the punishment. But that would have been a great statement.

"Do it for the first game. If you get your yellow card, what a message that would have been from Kane or Bale.

"Take your medicine, and in the next game you move on. You don't wear it [again] as you don't want to be getting suspended."

"But I think [not wearing the armband] was a big mistake.

"I think both players, and we are talking about Wales and England here, should have stuck to their guns and done it – whatever pressure from outside or from your own associations. Have the belief, if that's what you believe, then go with it."