ITV has been accused of sexism after Emma Hayes was forced to do her tactical analysis of England’s win over Croatia in what looked like a small kitchen.
Viewers also questioned why the USA women’s boss, who won a record 15 trophies with Chelsea, was given a ‘lame’ small chalkboard instead of a digital touchscreen.
One TV insider called the setup ‘hugely embarrassing’ and questioned whether male pundits such as Gary Neville would be put in the same situation.
The ill-judged set led to a series of mean memes where Emma’s noughts and crosses were replaced with a shopping list.
Others used AI to add a sink, tap, piles of washing up, tea towels and even an ironing board, dressing her in a pinny.
Another showed Emma making tea for her ITV colleagues with Manhattan in the background.
One critic said: ‘How lame are ITV that they put Emma Hayes in a kitchen setting to give her tactical analysis. Sexism rules.’
Emma has been praised as the World Cup’s top pundit with fans saying the BBC‘s coverage has been put to shame by some of her on-the-spot analysis.
But last night as the Three Lions put Croatia to the sword, she talked tactics with a blackboard and chalk in a part of the set overlooking Brooklyn Bridge that appeared to be made up of kitchen units.
One TV source said that the set was ‘hugely embarrassing’ for ITV and demeaning for Ms Hayes, arguably the top female coach in world football.
‘Can you imagine ITV putting Gary Neville on a set like that? No chance that would happen. It is hugely embarrassing’.
ITV viewers have questioned why pundit Emma Hayes was forced to do her analysis in an area that looked like a kitchen
Some asked whether male pundits would have had a digital screen – not a chalkboard
It has sparked shocking AI memes where Emma was put in a pinny and writing her shopping list rather than her expertly analysing England’s high press and counter-attacking
Even worse, another meme showed her doing the washing up
The chalk and blackboard was compared to the classic TV test card
Former BBC football presenter Dan Walker said today: ‘I really like Emma Hayes and I think sheâs an insightful pundit. Iâm not sure why they have decided to make it look like sheâs writing the specials on a bistro chalkboard.’
Sports journalist Michael Hincks wrote in the i newspaper: ‘ITV positioned Hayes in a corner of their New York studio, which admittedly resembled a kitchen, and that only fed the trolls for an easy pile-on.
‘It felt naive from ITV, hung Hayes out to dry, and surely is changed going forward at this World Cup.’
One viewer said: ‘Iâm not sure ITV are massively advancing the idea of womenâs equality in football by having Emma Hayes give her analysis from a set which looks like sheâs stuck in a kitchen?’
Another critic said: ‘This is woeful from ITV. Emma Hayes is brilliant, articulate and insightful, yet she’s made to provide micro analysis from some weird kitchen setup with a chalkboard that isn’t even rectangular. It makes her look amateurish when she’s anything but. Imagine Neville doing that!!’
Thomas Tuchelâs side proved too strong for Croatia, with talismanic striker Harry Kane scoring a brace before Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford added further goals.
Those cheering England to a 4â2 win at Dallas Stadium were later joined by several WAGs, who flew in from Miami where the playersâ families are based.
Among them were John Stonesâ wife Olivia, Ollie Watkinsâ partner Ellie, and Bellinghamâs girlfriend Ashlyn Castro, all of whom took to social media to share their experiences.
Megan Pickford embraced Dallas style, donning a denim cowboy hat featuring her husbandâs shirt number.
The set sparked a series of unkind memes, including Emma making tea for her colleague
Another mean meme showed Emma drawing an ironing board instead of England’s attacking formation
At the final whistle, fans erupted into a rousing rendition of Footballâs Coming Home and serenaded the team with Oasisâs Wonderwall.
Once the match ended, many players went into the stands to spend time with their wives and girlfriends.
Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Jordan Pickford were all pictured celebrating the victory with kisses for their partners.
However, it emerged that before the game there had been one worst-case scenario for the WAGs â they were forced to downsize their handbags to gain entry.
Strict regulations meant the teamâs glamorous partners faced limits on the size of their purses.
Ellie Watkins, 30, was spotted carrying a black Chanel vanity case cross-body bag costing upwards of ÂŁ5,000, while Mrs Pickford adhered to the rules with a white Lady Dior bag worth more than ÂŁ2,500.
Among a sell-out crowd of 70,398 fans was John Irvin, 67, from Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire, who is biking across America and has tickets to all the group games. He said: âWe won, good game, but we do make it hard for ourselves.
âBut second half we were unstoppable. Now itâs back on the bike and on to the next one.â
Mr Irvin, who has spent ÂŁ25,000 on his month-long trip, said: âIâve left the wife at home, closed my catering business and going to all the England group ones and, if we make the final, that one as well.â
Daniel Marland, 18, a Lancaster University student from Preston, said: âIt was an incredibly positive result. I am confident we will win it all.â His father John, 53, added: âThe most important thing is the win, which puts us in a great position for the next group games.â
Manchester City fan Mike Andrews, 60, a nursery manager from Newquay, Cornwall, who was also at the Dallas game, said: âA win is massive to start the tournament. This was our biggest group game test and now weâve already almost qualified. Thereâs no reason we canât go all the way.â
Southend fan James Wombwell, 50, a finance professional from Par in Cornwall, said: âItâs the perfect start for us. Croatia are a tough team so itâs a real confidence boost.â
Ricky Wiseman, 39, from London, who runs a youth football club and was with sons RJ, eight, and Charlie, ten, said: âWe got what we deserved. It should have been more. Itâs coming home!â
Jude Bellingham of England celebrates with Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon, and Noni Madeuke of England after Jude’s goal just after half time
Harry Kane shared a celebratory kiss in the stands with his wife Kate after leading England to a thrilling 4-2 victory against Croatia
Goal scorer Jude Bellingham smooched his influencer girlfriend Ashlyn Castro after the win
Ollie Watkins holds his son as he shares a kiss with his wife Ellie
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford packed on the PDA with his wife Megan after a triumphant start to England’s world cup efforts
Enthusiastic Megan Pickford cheered on the Three Lions
Ellie Alderson, Ollie Watkins’s wife, also had a hydration break with a friend as she watched her man take on Croatia
Back on home turf, employers across the country prepared for âHangover Thursdayâ as an estimated 16million watched at home and in pubs â drinking some 24million pints of beer.
The ÂŁ355million blowout is likely to have brought about Britainâs largest TV audience for two years.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer And Pub Association, said: âWe anticipated an extra five million pints being pulled in pubs for Englandâs first game as we all cheer on the team, in a massive boost for the sector.â
Meanwhile, attendance platform BrightHR â which monitors absence among more than a million employees at over 50,000 UK companies â said sickness rates would double today if the trend from Euro 2024 was repeated.
Chief executive Alan Price said: âEmployers are bracing for âHangover Thursdayâ and we predict a sharp rise in absenteeism due to many fansâ sore heads.â
Fans were in a jubilant mood as they began arriving hours before kick-off at the 80,000-capacity Dallas Stadium in Arlington. It is 20 miles west of downtown Dallas, where hundreds took the chance to visit the Grassy Knoll and scene of JFKâs assassination.
Pubs near the venue were busy from 9am as Three Lions supporters in white or red shirts and cowboy hats descended. With pints of beer in some of the surrounding bars costing £5 many had a drink before going into the stadium, where Stella Artois was being sold for £13.40. To combat such high prices, many England and Croatia fans stopped off at supermarkets and fast-food joints to stock up.
There was also a friendly rivalry with the thousands of Croatian fans who have flocked to Texas for the showdown. The old foes put England out of the 2018 World Cup at the semi-final stage.
At one pub outside the ground, a crowd hung up a St Georgeâs flag and was singing along to Oasis songs â interspersed with âIngerland, Ingerland, Ingerlandâ. Even though it was only 11am, the bar was doing a roaring trade.
Charlotte Tate, manager at The Londoner, told the Daily Mail: âWe have a few pubs across Dallas and itâs been going nuts. Business has been great and everyone is having a fabulous time.â
Engineer Courtenay Claussnitzer, 55, originally from London, was at the bar with his son Miles, 16, having flown in from Atlanta where they live. They paid $1,100 (ÂŁ827) for each ticket. Miles said: âIâm so excited, Dad is having a beer but Iâm too young to drink. The atmosphere is brilliant.â
Croatia were Englandâs biggest challenge of their three Group L rivals. They play Ghana in Boston next Tuesday and Panama in New Jersey on June 27.
Last night the squad flew straight back to their base in Kansas City.
And as the men brought home a win after their first World Cup match, the squad’s WAGs supported from the stands, cheering them on.
