Wholesale Clearance UK decided to print 18,000 England World Cup winners shirts only to see the Three Lions lose in the quarter-final.
WHAT HAPPENED? Swept up in World Cup fever, Wholesale Clearance UK printed shirts that said "England Cup Winners 2022" and "It's Finally Coming Home". Neither of those statements came true, and the shirts originally listed at £29.99 have lost most of their worth. Black Shirt Printed
WHAT THEY SAID: "We were quite confident England were going to win, but obviously that didn't work out," said head of sales Andy White to ITV. "I genuinely thought we had a massive chance this year and I was gutted when we didn't.
"At least we can say these shirts are certainly unique and a one-off."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The company has tried to pivot to market the shirts as unisex and claim they are a tribute to the England Women's Euro win over the summer.
Cool Sweatshirt Designs WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND? Despite their World Cup disappointment, England are young enough to believe they will be in contention at Euro 2024 and World Cup 2026. Few players have turned 30 yet, so there is a case to be made that the squad will be even better in a couple of years.