adidas Football has revealed the new federation home kits for eight teams ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. These countries include the already qualified teams in Germany, Spain, Russia, Japan, Colombia, Argentina, Belgium and Mexico. These kits draw inspiration from iconic shirts from past World Cups and were updated with a modern flair, progressive tooling and innovation.
adidas has created numerous products, innovations and looks over the years, many of which have become true icons in football, and took the opportunity further establish and celebrate these icons. Fans are always looking for stand-out designs, authenticity and progression, which is something they can immediately identify with. At the same time, the looks require the latest innovations and technologies for modern football, bringing the needs of the players and fans together – the needs both on and off the pitch, the needs for the stadium and the streets.
While the different jerseys represent those of the past, there is no single era from which they have been based, rather taking into account the most iconic looks from the different periods throughout each of the federations’ rich history.
Germany’s new home kit for next year’s 2018 FIFA World Cup, is a modern interpretation of the country’s 1990 shirt, which still stands as a testament to their history to this day. This look has been replicated time and time again and has received a new fresh take from the team at adidas. The updated jersey features an improved and reworked performance silhouette with dropped shoulder lines, and constructed from a two-fabric component collar with the words, “Die Mannschaft”, on the reverse of the neck, adding to the intricate detailing. The colourway features a faded grey palette as a replacement for the black, red and yellow of yesteryear.
The host nation, Russia, has a home kit which features a modern interpretation of the classic look of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, which was still represented as the Soviet Union where the team won gold against the much favoured Brazilian team. A sign-off on the neck includes the Russian flag, the Russian eagle and the embroidered wording “Вместе К Победе”, which translates to “Victory-Bound as One”.
The Argentina WC home kit is a celebration of the AFA’s 125 year anniversary, which pays tribute to the anniversary with subtle laurels, key elements of the Argentinian coat of arms and the AFA crest.
The Spanish shirt pays homage to the country’s most iconic shirt from the 1994 World Cup in the USA. The design of the yellow and blue faded against the red has recently come into question, as it appears to resemble the red, yellow and blue flag of the poignant time in the country’s history. The diamond pattern, however, represents the speed, energy and style of football associated with the national team.
The Colombian shirt is a take on the kit which represented the country in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. The shirt features a sign-off on the neck, which reads “UNIDOS POR UN PAIS” (United as one Nation).
The Japan home jersey draws on inspiration from handcrafted Japanese Apparel Design. The graphic mimics the traditional craftsmanship of Sashiko stitching technique, which is made by white rough threads on indigo-dyed base. The sign-off here celebrates important moments of JFA’s football history.
The Mexico home jersey was inspired by designs from the early 1990’s and is the perfect transition from the stadium to the street. The detail on the neck reads “Soy Mexico”, which completes the visual commitment to Mexico.
adidas kits for the 2018 FIFA World Cup are already available online via the adidas store.
In addition to the kits, adidas partnered with Messi for the official unveiling of the adidas Telstar 18 – the official ball for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
