Skip to main content

Adidas World Cup Kits: Where Fashion and Sport Unite

 by Callum Martin

Sportswear fashion has made it into the mainstream. With the interest in vintage kits and stylish designs more popular than ever, sports teams know that their jerseys are no longer just for game day; they’re a fashion statement. 

A brand that knows that better than most is Adidas. One of the largest manufacturers of football shirts in the world, their latest releases have seen them take on the national kits that will represent world cup powerhouses Argentina, Spain, and Germany, as well as football-crazy Mexico and Japan, on and off the pitch this winter.

Marked by a more minimalist approach that sees Adidas simplify their own logo, the kits of both Argentina and Spain see simple, yet sleek, home kits contrasted by sublimely inventive away affairs. 

Argentina’s home kit brings back the classic stripes of La Albiceleste, reminiscent of those that saw Maradona’s magic in ’86, whilst their away kit is a blaze of purple hue inspired by the Tierra del Fuego. It’s divisive enough of a design to be seen as one of the weaker kits within this drop, but even then, it’s different. 

Spain has gone with an equally clean home kit of solid red, incorporating a reworked badge into their kits. It’s one of the few safer designs from Adidas, but they’ve gone all out for the away kit. Swirling shades of blue give off vibes of shimmering Mediterranean pool-side summers, along with a Spanish flag hidden in Adidas’ striped sleeve details and a centralised badge. Some heat for a winter world cup.

This centralised theme continues onto Germany’s kits, which like the team itself, have taken a turn from their sometimes-sterile styling. The home kit is downright regal, with golden linings and logos and striped flag details around the neck on an otherwise monochromatic jersey. This colour scheme continues to the away kit, with a menacing red and black strip based on the logo of the German FA. Modern, sleek, and oh so German, it’s uncompromising in its elegance.

Now we get onto the real masterpieces.

Japan has always had a history of pushing the boat out for the World Cup, but this is one of the best in years. Origami-inspired imagery has been seamlessly integrated onto both designs. Classic shades of blue and white adorn the home kit, whilst the pure snow of the away strip is broken with that origami print in 3D-esque shades of blue and red on the sleeves. Neither boring nor overzealous, it is a marvellous piece of design. Drawing from Japanese traditions, Adidas has made something beautifully modern from it. The only shame is that with a tricky group, we probably won’t be seeing much of these gorgeous kits on our TV screens.

However, the Japanese kit can take a backseat for the real pièce de resistance, Mexico. Because Dios Mio, El Tri knocked this OUT of the park. It may be a new kit with a fabulous fresh badge, but it still has the same old Mexican flair. But this isn’t any 90s geo-mad party as Adidas have measured it so well. The stark green of the home kit with a wonderful eagle-like print around the neck and chest wouldn’t look out of place at a carnival. And as for the away kit? It wouldn’t look out of place at a fashion show. A two-tone Aztec print that is just the right level of loud; it’s infinitely wearable. A true contender for this world cup’s kit of the tournament and surely a new streetwear staple.

With Puma seemingly faltering on their away kits, it seems that only Nike can usurp Adidas as the king of cool, both on the streets and on the turf of Qatar.


Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular

‘Make Tattooing Safe Again’: Sheffield Based Tattoo Artist Exposed for Indecent Behaviour

 by Emily Fletcher TW: SA, Animal Abuse, Transphobia Photo Credit: @ meiko_akiz uki Recently, an  Instagram account  has been created to provide a  ‘space to safely give a voice to those who want to speak out about the behaviour of one, Sheffield based tattoo artist’. A  total of 40+ posts have been made by the above social media account regarding  one of Sheffield's most popular tattoo artists .  Thankfully, all posts are prefaced with a Content Warning prior to sharing screenshots of the messages that have been sent anonymously to the page. The majority of Content Warnings refer to sexual behaviour, abuse, and sexual assault. It is clear that there is a reoccurring theme within each submission, as many clients appear to have had the same experiences with the tattoo artist. Women, mostly, are being made to feel uncomfortable while being tattooed. One of the most vulnerable positions anyone can be in, tattoo artists should make their clients feel comfortable and safe during the pro
Post a Comment
Read more

Eurydice’s Last Words

by Kate Bradley I do not want to return To sit in the stalls, Of an empty black box Strewn with petals Leave the ghost light on, Let it shine like a call home, But I will not come back To turn it off alone. I learn this as we walk Our ever so solemn path Our thudding funeral march, You think we’re going back. As I trace my old steps, I fear of the day When the symphony swells, And I land my gaze On you, yet you will be Enraptured by the sound, If you did twist To turn around, You would not see me. So I am not sorry, I speak out into the empty air And I am not sorry. “Turn Around.” You do, you look You think  I fall But I run on, Arms wide open To fall in love With it all “Perhaps she was the one who said, ‘Turn around.” On the X45 bus, back from the Tyneside Cinema, I wrote a poem entitled “Eurydice’s Final Words”, after having seen “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”.  That poem was terrible, so I wrote a new one, as my response to the beautifully poignant film.  In one scene, Héloïse, an 18
Post a Comment
Read more

Single Review: ‘Tell Me’ - Jay Moussa-Mann

by Ilana Hawdon The feeling of pure betrayal and heartbreak is perfectly captured in Jay Moussa-Mann’s latest single, ‘Tell Me’. Jay Moussa-Mann is the folk dream we have been waiting for. A favourite on BBC Introducing, Radio 6 and BBC Radio Tees, Jay ’s sound is easy on the ears but delightfully addictive. With a background in writing and film, she began her solo musical venture when she released her debut album, ‘Little Deaths’ in late-2019, and since then, Moussa-Mann has defined herself as an artist with unbelievable range and promise.    ‘Tell Me’ is completely timeless; with notes of Carole King and Joni Mitchell, Moussa-Mann creates a folk-inspired track which is simultaneously heart wrenching and strangely empowering. Beginning as a simple guitar tune, ‘Tell Me’ builds with layers of luscious strings and twinkling piano, tied together with Jay ’s vocal line which is equal parts melancholic and divine. The song feels unwaveringly intimate; the lyrics ask, ‘what was I worth?’
Post a Comment
Read more