Nike and US Soccer today officially revealed a photo of the new home jersey for the US men’s national soccer team for 2012-13.
Unfortunately, as we first revealed in November 2011, the leaked photo is the same design that looks like a cross between the Where’s Waldo? character and a rugby shirt. To make it even worse, the sash returns to the design of the front of the shirt.
Traditionally soccer shirts are either plain or feature stripes, while rugby shirts have either plain colors or hoops. Nike can be forgiven for incorporating the red and white hoop design because it’s part of the red and white stripes of the US national flag. However, the shirt still looks unimpressive. And, in my opinion, the away jersey — while not fantastic — looks much better than the home one.
Luckily for US soccer fans, the new USA men’s home shirt is only for this year and next, which means the national team will have a different jersey design for the 2014 World Cup. Nevertheless, I’m really disappointed in Nike’s design and US Soccer approving it. To me, the United States is suffering an identity crisis. What should the color of the US men’s national team home jersey be? When I think of the US men’s national team playing in their home colors, I picture them playing in white with red and blue trim. As you can see from this pictorial history, the USMNT has played predominantly in white home shirts since 1984. The exception is the US home shirt for the 1994 World Cup, which was designed by Adidas, and featured the red and white wavy lines.
Some critics will argue that it matters what the US does on the field and not what they wear. I completely agree. But if US Soccer wants to generate increased streams of revenue so it can pump more money into the game, it’s important that the designs that US Soccer and Nike agree on look professional and attractive. Right now, it feels as if Nike and US Soccer is either trying too hard, or they’ve lost sight of what the US is all about.
Perhaps for future designs of the US men’s national team shirt, US Soccer and Nike will allow the fans to vote on their favorite. Somehow I imagine that if they had a choice this time around, the Where’s Waldo? design wouldn’t have been the top pick.
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2 thumbs down…no.
It’s not the World Cup shirt, so no harm done. Plenty of
traditional soccer nations have experimented lately.
Yes, but I hate it when those countries do experiment. I like it
when countries keep to tradition. Having said that, if this shirt
was a training shirt or a t-shirt, I’d buy it. I like the look.
UGLY. Horizontal with a diagonal line, #FAIL
I like the stripes. The sash sneaking in there doesn’t make any
dang sense.
I FOUND WALDO!!!!
Like it, but lose the sash, forever.
Just pick a general design for the home kit and STICK TO IT. Of
course the USMNT has no identity. Of course the US Soccer fans lack
any visible recognition. If you make radical changes to the home
kit every two years…we will never develope a distinctive
trademark look. If we’re candy strippers now….then stick to candy
stripes forever.
The sash is silly, I agree, but I rather like the stripes. The kit
could have been far worse considering stripes can be horrid if not
implemented properly. I think it’s a nice change from the plain
white kits we’ve had for decades now. I don’t mind white kits (they
can be classy as hell), but the red/white sets us apart and pays
homage to the flag, whereas the white one doesn’t (so many national
teams have white kits now and some, such as England, make sense due
to the flag). The away is fine, but the white sleeves really do
mess up the kit IMO. I much prefer this one. It’s polarizing, for
sure, but I think it will look much better on the pitch so to all
the doubters please hold off on judgments till it’s been played in.
Woof. I agree they should do like a poll similar to what EA has
been doing for Madden and NCAA Football covers to pick the next
kit. And why not have fans design and submit a new US crest to be
on the kit and have a poll for that too and the winner gets to go
to a major USMNT game or something like that.
No way! USA should never design that crest. Makes us look like we
won three world cups! hahah
Second only to the ’94 jersey in being the worst US kit I can
recall. Just awful.
While I am in favor for a all white consistent look I do quite like
this kit. Honestly I don’t see why this short is so ugly its
beautiful and if any body had some pride in the flag then this kit
would make sense. Plus I’d so much rather have Nike design our kits
than those stupid idiots at Adidas. But brands aside this kit is
nice and while I can’t change minds here I honestly don’t
understand why this kit is revolting. Its not its a extension of
our flag
Some of us don’t want the jersey to look like our flag. Sorry, but
it reminds me of the rednecks who wear button up shirts with stars
and stripes on them. You can see such sartorial splendor at certain
political rallies. It looks ridiculous and it makes me sad for them
that their patriotism is expressed in such superficial ways.
There is a difference between appropriate and out right ridiculous.
The 1994 Jersey was ridiculous . Now that is the type of appeal
rednecks would wear. This on the other hand is simple and classy.
I’m pretty sure if where’s Waldo never existed the opinions on this
kit would change. The previous 2006 wc qualifier kit were hoops too
and no one cried injustice on that. Plus I find it funny that
people demand consistency in kit looks yet demand a change to our
crest. I honestly don’t understand the mentality of some. In the
same way most fanboys tell nd about mls I’ll tell everyone else,
shut up and support the usmnt
I want a crest that has class not one that looks like a kids logo
with 3 stars on it when our national team has won nothing. Put the
bald eagle on a field of navy blue with vertical red and white
stripes coming down from that simple and classy.
What. The. Frick. I, for one, thought the sash was our only real
identifying trait for our team uniforms, and I definitely felt some
pride when I saw those uniforms out on the field. But this jersey
is just amateur and unnecessarily outrageous. I mean, no one is
going to forget these jerseys, but only because they were so
garish. I’ll be sticking to my red and blue sash jersey when I root
for the USMNT.
Definitely should have made the right sleeve navy with stars and
continued the hoops on the left sleeve. Just go full flag. And the
sash is terrible.
I wish Nike would ditch the sash. I prefer a white home kit, but
Nike should incorporate more red and blue into a white kit. I’m
glad these won’t be the World Cup home jerseys. Hopefully by then,
Nike will get rid of the sash.
I’m all for US Soccer making money off jersey sales, but changing
the design every couple years won’t help their cause (especially
designs this bad). Pick a simple, strong, easily identifiable look
for the yanks and STICK WITH IT. Then re-direct the constant
redesign budget into player development. A consistent identity and
a winning team will help Jersey sales more than this foolishness.
Does Brazil revamp their jerseys every 5 minutes? Noooooo…. Do
their jerseys sell? Yesssss…
US Soccer Traditional Uniforms has always Been White tops/ blue
pants for home, and Navy tops for the road. Brazil always had
Yellow. Both had slight different cuts and designs over the yrs.
This is not a slight difference. This is a jump off a cliff, from a
dignified uniform to a laughable Cat in The Hat inspired rave
outfit. (But hey, maybe I’ll just drop some acid before each game
and watch the colorful wacky characters run around the field.)
Great simple design in my book. No need for the sash, though. I’d
like it if we stuck with this as a home jersey for a while. Much,
much better than the sweater vest away design.
The top has got a bit of a retro vibe. I think it’s a very good
design.