Shirts at the 2023 Football World Cup. Herald graphic
NZME’s world-renowned football blog Goalmouth Scramble is back. Our rotating stable of football writers will offer daily hot takes on all the action from the World Cup in Qatar. Today, Viva fashion editor Dan Ahwa casts an eye over the shirts on display.
Football’s World Cup is one of the world’s most highly anticipated sporting events, with a global audience hooked to the on-field action of 64 matches played over 29 days.
But it’s not just the football in the spotlight. The parade of multi-coloured, patriotic kits on display is watched with a close eye. How a team comes together, performs under pressure and feels unified is an important part of sporting performance, and wearing a uniform that can help amplify and support these factors is vital.
Across the 32 participating countries, nine brands have been given the tall task of creating technically superior gear that represents each team’s national identity. Twenty-six of the kits have been created by sportswear behemoths Adidas, Nike and Puma, with the remainder coming from smaller brands.
Let’s look at the best and worst of the kits in Qatar.
1. France
I suppose this is the most chic of the World Cup jersey offerings. Classic, clean, elegant. Nike has done a superb job with the home jersey of navy blue with gold accents, especially smart with white shorts. The away jersey offers up a few more points of interest — blue illustrative depictions of the cockerel, the Arc de Triomphe and Clairefontaine youth academy decorate the away jersey against a crisp white.
2. Mexico
With retro-inspired sportswear gaining traction in fashion in 2022, Mexico’s two kits are a nod to the past with a firm eye on the future and its rich cultural heritage, a balancing act Adidas has managed particularly well with its designer collabs, including fashion brands Gucci and Wales Bonner. The rich green of the home jersey honours the jerseys the nation has worn for its home gains since the 1950s, with a chevron pattern going across the chest inspired by the Mexican deity Quetzalcoatl — a mythical, feathered-serpent hero from ancient Mesoamerican culture that represents the union between the Earth and sky.
But it’s the away top that stands out for me, made with recycled materials and featuring a more explicit pattern of the Quetzalcoatl, the deep maroon and cream mix is a winning formula.
3. Morocco
Puma’s clean-cut kit for Morocco feels fresh. A crisp-white base colour features a light-grey central stripe which is layered with the green Puma logo and Morocco’s badge. The away-day jersey of red and green is another nod to nostalgic retro sportswear but with modern finesse.
4. Germany
OK, controversial opinion, but the Germans know how to do a good uniform. Both jerseys are powerful, smart and I can imagine somewhat intimidating on the field.
5. Croatia
This does deserve a top-five billing simply because it’s the more interesting of the jerseys if only a visual distraction for opponents. Well played Croatia. I like the patriotism that comes through with the check pattern, and both home and away jerseys look modern and versatile, the sort of thing you’d ironically wear from the pitch to the rave in a heartbeat.
Honourable mentions: Denmark & USA
Danish players take to the field in unadorned shirts in simple colours of all-red, all-white and all-black. I can appreciate the subtle but powerful political statement here from the manufacturer Hummel. The black shirts are a reference to the human rights record of host nation Qatar — they acknowledge migrant workers who died during construction work for the finals tournament. Hummel says black is “the colour of mourning”.
“While we support the Danish national team all the way, this shouldn’t be confused with support for a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives.” While they might look like plain T-shirts, the sentiment outweighs everything else on display.
The USA’s home jersey gives off the sort of Captain America vibes we’ve come to expect from an American sports team, so it’s a pleasant surprise to see their away day kit. Created by Nike, this jersey shares similarity to the USA denim away shirt of 1994. The royal-blue, tie-dye effect is a clever acknowledgement of a garment technique that plays a major part in American fashion manufacturing and streetwear history, but more importantly, it is emblematic of youth and diversity.
“The away uniform is built on a bold design that also celebrates diversity, youth, and unity,” said US Soccer and Nike in their joint release.
1. Australia
Head of Sport Winston Aldworth is also not keen on this “weird anvil shape below the neck on their second kit”. I agree. There’s also some weird velvet-print effect on the home jersey. Is it possible to make Australia’s already hideous national-colour combination of yellow and green even more hideous? Yes. Yes, it is.
2. Belgium
It feels apt this Adidas jersey features bogan flame motifs on the sleeves — because it belongs in hell.
3. Brazil
The land that has blessed us with carnivals can get away with bright colours teetering on garish, and while I admire the patriotism of its brightly hued home jersey, the visible leopard print sleeves on the away jersey is not a vibe.
4. Switzerland
It’s a shame there’s a lack of imagination or creativity here from the Swiss. Is this kit meant to look like hospital scrubs for a reason?
5. Spain
If there was a football shirt that exemplified a corporate away-day bonding session where everyone was forced to play soccer, this would be it.
Saudi Arabia has been awarded the 2034 tournament, despite human rights concerns.