Kalvin Phillips has admitted he was left "confused and disappointed" after England players were booed taking the knee before their match against Austria on Wednesday night.
The Three Lions began their preparations for the upcoming European Championships with a 1-0 win in a friendly at the Riverside Stadium.
However, the occasion was marred when a section of those in attendances voiced their disdain when England players dropped to one knee in a sign of solidarity in the battle against racism and discrimination before kick-off.
The gesture has sparked conflicting views throughout the season, with some clubs opting against the gesture, whilst others have persisted.
However, the booing has been heavily condemned by Phillips and manager Gareth Southgate, with the Leeds United midfielder confirming England players will continue to take the knee throughout the tournament after a group discussion.
"I was confused and disappointed," Phillips said when asked about his emotions after hearing the jeers from the substitutes' bench.
"I was just happy that the boos were cancelled out by fans cheering in the end. I don't think it's a great situation, especially for us players.
"All we can do is just focus on the game and speak about it after. We spoke about it together and came up with the conclusion that regardless of what goes on, we're still going to participate in the kneeling, which I think is a great idea."
"The first thing is, we collectively are very disappointed that it happened," Southgate added.
"You have to put yourself in the shoes of a young England player about to represent his country and, because we're all trying to support a move for equality, supporting our teammates and the experiences they've been through in their lives, some people decided to boo.
"Those people should consider if that was their children if they're old enough to have them, how would they feel about their kids being in that situation?
"The most important thing for our players to know is that we're totally united on it and committed to supporting each other, the team. We feel, more than ever, determined to take the knee through this tournament.
"We accept there might be an adverse reaction but we will ignore that and move forward."
