Australia:The Sweetest
During opening ceremonies make the most youthful athletes look like Gold Coast retirees attending the annual general meeting of the local bowling club. On the playing field,however,it’s an eye-catching distraction from
Craig Goodwin following his goal in Qatar for the Socceroos in the World Cup and Caramello Koala.Getty,supplied
According to a statement from manufacturers Nike:“The design nods to the iconic Golden Wattle flower and the traditional colours of the national side,using colours of ‘University Gold’ and ‘Tour Yellow’ to capture the adventurous nature of Australians and the physical beauty of the land.
“The green shorts use the colour ‘Green Noise’ with a clear connection to nature,conjuring the rugged,sandy landscape of the outback and the rich wetlands and forests. The kit is completed with iconic white socks.”
The colour combination looks fresh,athletic and has a sweet side. Perhaps that’s because it reminds me of another national treasure,Caramello Koala.
Mexico:Super
Apart from Batman’s fake nipples in the George Clooney movieBatman&Robinand Superman’s enduring underwear challenges,most superhero costumes are perfect inspirations for sport uniforms. That’s why it’s easy to mistake Mexico’s jersey by Adidas as a rip-off of the villain Namor from the latest Marvel movieBlack Panther:Wakanda Forever.
Jesus Gallardo during the World Cup match between Mexico v Poland,in Qatar and Tenoch Huerta as Namor in a poster for ‘Black Panther:Wakanda Forever’.Getty,Supplied
Instead,both the character played by Tenoch Huerta and the jersey drew inspiration from Aztec mythology.
“For this season’s home jersey which will be worn on football’s biggest stage,we wanted to capture the spirit of the nation with a design that is deeply rooted in the culture of Mexico,” said James Webb,Senior Product Designer at Adidas in a statement. “The head and feathered headdress of Aztec deity Quetzalcoatl is displayed with pride on the shirt which features a completely new crest.”
Namor’s costume inBlack Panther:Wakanda Foreveris also inspired by Quetzalcoatl,known as “the feathered serpent”,but has the added bonus of wings at the ankle. This might have helped Mexico avoid a draw with Poland in the first round.
Denmark:The Good
The three jerseys made for the Danish team in the World Cup are stand-outs more for what they leave off than any elaborate design features. The solid red,white and black jerseys by Hummel are protest flags against the human rights record of the host nation.
Danish player Rasmus Kristensen consoles Thomas Delaney during the match against Tunisia wearing the subdued Hummel jersey.Getty
The logos and accents have been made monochromatic to avoid unwanted attention.
“At Hummel,we believe that sport should bring people together,and when it doesn’t,we are eager to speak up and make a statement,” said kit supplier Hummel in a statement. “That’s also why the new Denmark jerseys for the upcoming World Cup have been designed as a protest against Qatar and its human rights record. We don’t wish to be visible during a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives.”
It’s just another sweeping the world.
Tunisia:The off-side
Yassine Meriah of Tunisia during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group D match between Denmark and Tunisia in the Kappa jersey and The Mudflap Girl silhouette on a vintage belt buckle.Getty/Instagram @mixedpicklesantiques
Tunisia,it’s me,not you. Up close the jersey features details inspired by ancient Carthaginian armour but from a distance all that I can see is the logo of Italian sports brand Kappa. The silhouette of a naked man and woman supporting each other reminds me of the mudflaps championed by politically incorrect truckers in the eighties,which unfortunately made its way onto T-shirts and belt buckles.
Belgium:Not hot
Thomas Meunier of Belgium in action during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 wearing his Adidas jersey and an amazon.com.au take on the flame shirt made famous by memes of US cook Guy Fieri.Getty,amazon.com.au
Some of the world’s best fashion designers come from Belgium,such as Raf Simons,Ann Demeulemeester,Martin Margiela and Kris Van Assche. None of them were involved in this shirt from Adidas.
The palette has fast food energy but it’s the flaming sleeves that have us thinking of the flame shirt made famous by US shirt Guy Fieri and old hot rods.
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