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It was a different kit unveiling to what I’ve been privy to in the past. In 2019, I flew to Paris to witness Australian Women’s Soccer team, the Matildas, receive an exclusive Nike kit going into the Women’s World Cup later in the year. As preparations get underway for some of the biggest football events of 2022 and 2023, and amid restrictions, the latest kit unveiling for the Australia National Team Kits was less flamboyant, yet equally as inspiring.
Joining from Europe, Asia and Australia, Matildas Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Caitlin Foord, Kyah Simon and Hayley Raso and Socceroos Trent Sainsbury, Awer Mabil, Adam Taggart and Jamie Maclaren joined a Zoom call with tuned in guests for the official unveiling. The athletes answered fans questions and revealed their favourite career highlights, all whilst wearing the new-look uniform.
As all home jersey’s feature, the classic Australian gold is colour blocked with deep green accents. Unlike last year’s scoop neck, the jersey now features a tidy collar – a nod to vintage soccer polos – while the reintroduction of green shorts gives the athletes a classic home kit that embodies the DNA of
Australian football. The kit is completed with gold socks.
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The away kit reintroduces a fresh water jersey, fresh water socks and deep obsidian shorts. The colour is a contemporary take on the 2004 Socceroos kit, which was the first official kit released by Nike for the Socceroos and debuted in Sydney when Australia played Turkey in front of nearly 30,000 fans. The obsidian shorts also revisit Australia’s football heritage, with navy having featured regularly in the national away kit. A Southern Cross appears as the outer pride element on the back of the away jersey.
As part of Nike’s commitment to Move To Zero – a sustainability initiative driven through a range of products and practices – the Australia kits are again constructed with 100 percent recycled polyester from plastic bottles. According to Nike and since 2010, more than 7.5 billion plastic bottles have been diverted from landfills and waterways and transformed into recycled polyester for Nike footwear and apparel.
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The fabric itself is dubbed as ‘NextGen Vaporknit’ and drawing on data from more than 300 football athletes, the kit’s high-stretch, anti-cling material allows for quick and agile movements with a streamlined fit – as users of the apparel can attest to. Applying the same principles used in Nike Flyknit footwear, precision knitting is reinforced where needed while heavily vented in areas prone to heat.
With some of the most significant football matches happening in the next two years and into 2023 for the World Cup, get patriotic and join the movement with your own Nike jersey, available for purchase here.
Cover Image: Mark Metcalfe / Getty Images
