It features the St. George's Cross, a national symbol for centuries, in shades of blue and purple as well as red on the back of the shirt collar. Nike called the change a "playful update" that was meant to "unite and inspire."

But the move has spurred calls from many soccer fans to scrap the new design, saying they want a return to the traditional colors of the cross rather than the new flag which Nike has said "disrupts history with a modern take on a classic".

"Well, obviously, I prefer the original," Sunak told reporters. "My general view is that when it comes to our national flags, we shouldn't mess with them, because they're a source of pride, identity, who we are, and they're perfect as they are."

Nike did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.