Wore FIFA's "No Discrimination" armband; team performed mouth-covering gesture. Harry Kane
Declined to protest, citing a need to respect competition rules. Hugo Lloris A majority of the squad had rejected a
: This famous protest before Germany's match against Japan was actually a compromise. A majority of the squad had rejected a proposed "heart" gesture, fearing it would be seen as lecturing the host nation's culture. They agreed on covering their mouths specifically to protest FIFA's silencing of them, rather than making a broader political statement. Gündoğan later wore the official FIFA-provided armband and
: Following Germany's unexpected 2-1 loss to Japan, several players, including İlkay Gündoğan , expressed a desire to move past the controversy. Gündoğan later wore the official FIFA-provided armband and emphasized that the team wanted to avoid further political debates and focus entirely on the tournament. including İlkay Gündoğan