Jason Sudeikis said his shirt supporting English soccer players was to ‘humanize’ them

Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis joined The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, where he discussed the sweatshirt that he wore to the second season premiere of his show recently. It read “Jadon & Marcus & Bukayo,” and was a show of support for English Soccer players Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka, who each experienced racial abuse after missing penalties during England's loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final.

“They’re the last three fellas, young fellas, that took the penalty kicks. They didn't turn out the way that certainly England would have hoped, certainly a lot of us here in the states would have, too, and people worldwide, and they caught a lot of guff online. The three young black men,” Sudeikis said. “And our show is rooted in both despising things like bullying and racism and whatnot. But it is also rooted and takes place in London and England. And so it was our way to use this big fancy premiere to spotlight them and let them know we got their back and how much we support them.”

Video Transcript

JASON SUDEIKIS: They were the last three fellows-- young fellows-- that took the penalty kicks. They didn't turn out the way that certainly England would have hoped, certainly a lot of us here in the States would have too and people worldwide, and they caught a lot of guff online, the three young Black men.

KYLIE MAR: On "The Late Show" with Stephen Colbert Tuesday, "Ted Lasso" star Jason Sudeikis talked about the sweatshirt he wore to the show's second season premiere recently. It was a show of support for English soccer players Marcus Rashford, Jaden Sancho and Bukayo Saka, who were all racially abused on social media and beyond after missing penalties during England's loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final.

JASON SUDEIKIS: Our show is rooted in both, you know, despising things like bullying and racism and whatnot. But it also is rooted and takes place in London in England, and so yeah, it was just our way to use this big fancy premiere to spotlight them and let them know we got their back and how much we support them.

KYLIE MAR: Sudeikis, whose show has grown into a monster hit due in part to his character's infectious positivity, said he appreciates the love for the show, but that he should not be applauded for simply wearing a shirt.

JASON SUDEIKIS: That's nothing. Like what they've gone through and what they do, like even Marcus, the remarkable things he did leading up to the season, during the pandemic and helping feed kids that weren't getting school lunches because they weren't going to school. I hope it's understood that we're all clapping and supporting them. Like, I'm just wearing a shirt, you know I mean?

KYLIE MAR: And while the abuse the three players faced was not pretty, more and more people, including teammates, coaches, and even Prince Charles have voiced their support. And Sudeikis is just trying to do his part.

JASON SUDEIKIS: It was just a way to humanize and personify those three fellows, and that's why I chose to use-- you know their surnames are on the back of their kits, their uniform, so that's why I used the first names, the names their parents gave them. Because they're kids. They're young men and they should have the opportunity to succeed and fail and tie like everyone.