The Development Of Football Kits
What highlights one team more than anything else? What makes them recognised all around the world? That’s right, that is their football kits. To be a football fan, one of the most important things is to have at least one shirt from your favourite club. Every new season football clubs released a new model of their football kit, and for their supporters, this is a significant event that sometimes creates heated discussions between them. With the developing of the game, alongside the goal tech system and VAR, football kits also have undergone significant changes within the years. So in the following material, we will discuss some of the significant changes in the development of football kits.
Modern Days Football Kits
Most modern-day kits keep players cool and dry by drawing moisture from their bodies and letting air in. The fabric that prevents sweat from soaking through the shirt is called Moisture-wicking, which also prevents shirts from getting wet and heavy. Another material used in kits such as elastane makes shirts fit better on player’s bodies.
One of the most titled countries in the football world Italy used shirts in the 2014 World Cup that featured a special tape that micro massaged players muscles during the game as they wore it. The idea was to speed up recovery from physical collisions, and now many brands use similar technology.
In addition to the shirts, nowadays even socks are made from high tech materials. They are equipped with moisture-wicking fabric as well as anti-odour finishes. With those technologies, they provide stability and keep them secure in their boots.
The Fashion In Football
As I said, earlier football kits are recognised all around the world, which makes style just as important as function. In comparison with the outfits from the past, nowadays modern kits are much better fitting than the straggling look of the years gone. A kit its not only to recognise players on the pitch but is also a visual representation of the team.
On its own, football fashion its such a big business which brings revenues of hundreds of millions of dollars every year and it looks that this won’t end any time soon. With the launching of new kits every year the competition between sports brands is getting bigger and bigger, so they are trying to find new ways to improve the quality and the look of the shirts every year. That’s why clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid are the top priority for the most prominent sports brands in the world because they are famous all around the world and sponsoring them means that your brand will be recognised worldwide. Which, of course, lead to more sales and eventually more profit.
Comfort On The Pitch
New kits development brings more comfort to the players therefor that predisposes them to perform better on the pitch. But wearing the right colour also can boost your performance. Dutch researchers prove this that wearing white colours offers the best visibility while playing on a green pitch. This fact allows players to see their teammates better on the pitch.
While another researcher found that if you are wearing red colour, you have the chance to score 10% more than those wearing another colour. So the simple examples are teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, which historically are the three English most successful clubs. Moreover wearing red can make individuals feel more confident.
Crying For The Past
It doesn’t matter how cool and beautiful its the new kit of your team there always will be only one T-shirt from the past. That is called nostalgia.
Some of the biggest sports brands in the world are being inspired by nostalgia for old models of kits. For example, Adidas has drawn inspiration from iconic kits by years have gone for many of their kit’s designs. Germany, Russia, Belgium, and Columbia were one of the teams that wore updated versions of classic kits at the World Cup in Russia in 2018.
Particular kits bring back memories of better times for fans of many teams. A famous example is Manchester United kit from the Champions League final played at Nou Camp against Bayern Munich when they were losing 1 to 0 until the 92 + minute. Then in the final minutes or seconds, they managed to win the game 2 to 1 in a breathtaking spectacle for the fans. So if you ask some of United fans which is the most remarkable kit for all times they go for the one in 1999.
Another example its Brazil’s yellow and green shirts which bring us back to the sensational football they were playing and winning five World Cups and if you think about Brazil, this is the first to colours you will recall straight away.
One Step Closer To Your Team
The feeling of wearing your favourite team shirt before a football game has no comparison in the world. Some people will say that it’s just a standard shirt, but they don’t know what that means for us the football supporters. It means everything. It is like the flag of the country you represent, and it’s sacred. It unites people around the world like anything else. So wear your favourite team shirt proudly whatever it happens. Be with them in good and bad moments. That’s what a true fan does.
Petar Leykov
