It’s the biggest of all games. It’s the loudest. And, it’s back after nearly five years. It is the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This time it is being hosted in Qatar and football fanatics are all charged up to hit the stadium and cheer for their team. With just a few days left for the actions to unfold, fans are in for an early football mania as we bring forth some of the most incredible FIFA World Cup kits and stylish jerseys from this year’s event. By Trinetra Paul
Starting from November 20 2022, 32 countries are competing for the coveted title, while their die-hard fans are all set to make every game a spectacle to watch. With the host country taking on Ecuador in the first match, we know we are up for an electrifying sporting fever. While the rolling ball, the penalty kicks and all the on-field drama are sure to make headlines, the new jerseys of the national teams also cut a striking image. And, speaking of uniforms and jerseys, let’s look at the two types of kits given to players.
What is the difference between a home kit and an away kit?
New iconic kits, replete with a new home shirt and an away shirt, are also among the major highlights of this 2022 FIFA World Cup season. The kit represents the country’s aim and gaming spirit while it also pays homage to certain significant cultural aspects and sportsmanship. The 2022 home and away kits are here and have some big players such as Nike, Adidas and Puma behind them.
The home kit is the jersey worn by a team when they play on their home turf while the opponent team wears their away kit as they are playing on a foreign turf. In the World Cup scenario, if the two teams playing have a similar colour scheme on their jerseys, then the home team (as designated by the FIFA fixtures) wears their home kit.
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Whether it is the evergreen blue and white stripes of Argentina, sported by Lionel Messi, or The Netherlands’ home shirt with an abstract lion face as a nod to the country’s national animal, these 2022 FIFA World Cup jerseys are here to create an impact and be etched in your memory for years to come. From being sustainable to being created with lightweight materials and advanced technology to supporting special causes and human rights, these new uniforms are effortlessly stylish while being purposeful.
Here are some of the most stylish new team jerseys for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Influenced by the country’s very first football kit from 1908, this year’s World Cup home shirt features a black centre strip with four stars and club badge, jersey number and Adidas logo at the centre of the chest. Trimmings at the round neck with colours of the national flag accentuate the ‘home’ aspect.
The gold detailing continues on the away uniform which follows a cherry red and black pattern, from the country’s flag. A blurry ‘D’ is also added for Deutschland and amplifies the country’s football fervour. Both jerseys are made of polyester and are in line with the retail giant’s sustainability principles to reduce plastic waste which runs through all its other World Cup kits.
Undoubtedly one of the strongest contenders in the 2022 World Cup, Belgium is here to add to the rising sporting fever with its new kits. While the home jersey fits in the traditional red and black pattern, kit maker Adidas sets the scene ablaze with some golden flame patterns all over the black sleeves. Seems like restaurateur Guy Fieri was a major influence.
However, the away shirt is in complete contrast and is rather simple at a glance — a plain white shirt with bold multi-coloured graphics on the chest and sleeves. The Belgian Red Devils teamed up with Adidas and the country’s largest music festival Tomorrowland for this design. In fact, this is the first World Cup jersey made in partnership with a festival. The away kit is underlined by the nation’s ‘Golden Generation’ and features a strong ‘LOVE’ sign at the back as it strives to spread inclusivity, diversity and harmony — the spirit of Tomorrowland as well. It also has a bright Belgian FA badge, the Adidas logo on the front and light grey sleeves to break the white monotony.
The defending champions are back in action with uber cool World Cup uniforms from Adidas. The red home kit has a sporty V-neck collar in the yellow and blue shades of the national flag, while similar coloured accents run sideways and the team crest is woven in.
The Spanish away kit features a same-tonal wavy pattern all over the body with a red and golden crest at the centre and the maker’s golden stripes running along the shoulders. The jersey is a nod to the España ’82 World Cup logo and although there might be different opinions about this World Cup uniform, it is one to look out for.
For this World Cup, Messi and his squad have stuck to their classic white and blue home kit, while a purple-coloured away kit is the choice of design for Argentina. Again a classic Adidas creation, the home shirt bears the country’s winning three baby blue and white stripes with navy blue accents.
With the team’s away shirt, Adidas Argentina has not only gone all bold but also unleashed one of the boldest and most stylish uniforms at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. A complete purple jersey featuring rising flames over the torso, which is a reminder of the sun rays on the nation’s flag, makes for a statement sporting outfit and the colour reflects the idea of gender equality.
Created by the power of Nike, France’s home kit is as sleek, stylish, sporty and charming as its away kit. And, both reside quite far on the colour spectrum. A dark blue shirt with gold accents, the home shirt is completed with the FIFA emblem, Nike logo and the country’s national team’s FFF logo in gold as well.
The away shirt is equally impressive. It appears as plain white from a distance but a closer look reveals a Toile de Jouy pattern with scenes from the French Revolution and iconic landmarks of the country. This time the Nike and FFF logos are done in navy blue. No wonder, fashion, football and France go hand in hand.
From a distance, Brazil’s new home shirts and away kits may seem quite plain but are iconic in their own ways. Both the World Cup kits stay true to their original colour schemes, albeit new patterns and prints make them distinctive.
The yellow home shirt with green collars, paired with blue shorts and white socks — the Nike Swoosh keeps things original but incorporates a style element with subtle jaguar prints and a small button at the Henley collar which resembles the national flag. The five-time World Cup winners continue the blue streak in their away kit which also features green and yellow accents and a funky green jaguar print on the sleeves.
The host nation also has the Swoosh behind its home and away kits and yet again, sleek design meets high performance. The Qatar home kit honours the country’s flag and the maroon shirt features a central logo with white trim at the sleeve cuffs.
On the other hand, the Swoosh and country logo move out of the centre in the away shirt while an apparently plain white jersey has gold and beige swirl detailing, depicting pearl divers and sandstorms.
Seems like Mexico and Adidas are set to give some major fashion moments on the World Cup stage and fans are totally up for it. The team has gone the old way and chosen a traditional green home kit for World Cup 2022 after donning black and pink last season. It also features a zigzag print throughout as an ode to the country’s Aztec art along with the team’s new crest.
An Aztec all-over pattern follows in the stylish red and white away kit as well which also has red accents on the shoulder along with the Aztec deity Quetzalcoatl’s serpent body on the collar. The jersey also features a green trim at the round collar, giving it a classic look.
In the 2022 World Cup, South Korean players clad in the Nike away kit are sure to make a lasting impression as they pass the ball. Whimsical red, blue and yellow strokes and stripes evoke the sight of Korean fireworks while reminding one of abstract art. It has a certain ‘90s air about it and the red and blue colours can be interpreted as a homage to Taegeuk, the symbol at the middle of the Korean flag, embodying a balance between earth and heaven.
When compared to other home kits this season, the South Korean home jersey is fairly simple — a bright coral-red shirt with a black polo collar. It also features tiger stripes detailing in red over the shoulders along with red and black trim in tune with its Red Devils nickname.
It is a riot of colours from the Dutch national team for the World Cup 2022. The home kit is bright laser orange and made of a fabric that gives a very shiny satin-like look. A darker shade of orange is used for the lion’s graphic set against a black background while black is the colour for the jersey number and Nike logo.
The orange spills over in the away shirt but is used only for the lion, jersey number and Nike logo. The deep royal blue uniform also features Habanero red and orange accents. Such a colour scheme is seen for the first time since 2016, while the sleeve trims bear a resemblance with the away kit of 2000.
Positioned as a team that is “stepping out onto the world stage, for honour and glory,” by the uniform makers, the home and away kits of Costa Rica are reminiscent of the country’s social and cultural fabric. Manufactured by New Balance Costa Rica, the red home kit draws heavily from the country’s flag. The red shirt has thick blue cuffs and white trim. The front left side bears the new national badge which was introduced in December 2021.
The away shirt too features oversized thick cuffs in blue while the body is plain white. Both are made of special NB DRY technology that wicks sweat instantly and has ‘FCRF’ printed on the back.
Japan teamed up with Adidas to create yet another set of jerseys that can become an instant classic among other kits. The blue home kit takes cues from the art of origami — the traditional Japanese art of folding paper to create interesting objects and toys. The print on the shirt is also a shoutout to the flock cranes that appear on its federation badge and is an ode to the 2002 World Cup held at Yokohama, Japan. The round neck and the overall silhouette are quick to remind of Japan’s power-packed performance at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, held in Qatar.
Origami designs add a touch of pop to an otherwise white and black away kit. Motifs of folded paper figurines appear on the sleeves and shoulders in red and blue and enhance the Asian soccer power as the six-time World Cup final qualifiers hit the ground again.
It will be interesting to see Ghana score some stupendous goals at the tournament but it has already scored high points for amazing World Cup 2022 kits. The Ghanaian team is nicknamed the black stars, and the white home jersey takes this idea to the core. Quite literally. The shirt features a black star at the centre and red, yellow and green trims at the sleeves and is inspired by iconic moments from its football history. Speak of minimalist football fashion!
The away kit is among the best Puma jerseys this season. The flaming red shirt with a yellow and green box, featuring the team crest and jersey number, takes inspiration from the national flag and is aptly described by the makers as ‘bold meets proud.’
Like every year, the 2022 World Cup also sees the return of the checks on Croatia’s uniforms, though the Swoosh has worked around with some subtle changes to make the silhouette clean and sleek.
For the red and white home kit, the red checkers have been reduced in size and some removed from the front for a more refined and neat look. The uniform also features blue accents and gives an overall smart look within the traditional colour scheme brackets.
For the away kit, there are some rather pronounced changes that are hard to miss. The classic pattern is given a motion-blurring effect across the left shoulder and a deep navy blue base becomes the backdrop for the light blue checkers. The front is left rather spaced out and the blocks are packed on the sleeves and run down in the long-sleeve version.
Down the ages, England has had some pretty impressive World Cup uniforms and this time too the three lions did not disappoint.
The home shirt is a white ensemble with a dark and light blue gradient over the shoulders. The same pattern continues on the sleeve trims and the three lions logo is finished off in blue as well.
Drawing inspiration from the current first team’s vigour and sporting spirit with a ‘Blue Void’ scheme running all over its red away kit, the jersey reminds of the 1998 kit sported by the likes of David Beckham and Paul Scholes. The blue accent brings in a bit of colour blocking while an abstract motif of the three lions on the collars makes it pop out. Certainly, a moment defining the perfect blend of World Cup and a high athletic fashion.
(Main and featured image credit: Karsten Winegeart/ @karsten116/ Unsplash)
This story first appeared on Augustman Malaysia
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