Just Another Nike Blog

 Where the new home kit is comprised of traditional red and the 2020-21 away kit introduced a visionary look, Nike’s third kit for Liverpool FC takes inspiration from an aesthetic influenced from the Kop, the most famous stand in football — and fuses it with sneaker culture. The Reds new design has been inspired by those famous European nights that make Anfield such an incredible stadium to play in. “For the Liverpool FC third kit we explored the long-standing traditions of the club and how we could bring that to life through the lens of sneaker culture,” said Scott Munson, VP Nike Football Apparel. “We were inspired by the atmosphere of the Kop on those special European nights and an iconic Air Max colorway, combined to create a third kit that delivers on style and performance.”  A black and anthracite traditional block check is featured across the front and back of the jersey. The crimson red is brought to life through the side paneling and is introduced further in the neckl...

 Turkish pride burns brightly in a 2020 Nike collection, which showcases traditional colors, the country’s flag and a unique design that places an enlarged crescent and star at the center of both home and away kits. “We wanted to capture the incredible passion for football in Turkey with a special design, so we boosted the size of the crescent and star to make them the focal point of the kits,” says Scott Munson, VP, Nike Football Apparel. Turkey’s home jersey has a white base with a thick red band stretching across the chest. The large crescent and star sit prominently in the middle as the focal point of the design. White shorts and socks with red detailing complete a minimal but formidable look.  The away comprises a red shirt, shorts and socks in a further display of Turkish pride. The jersey features a lighter red strip across the chest, decorated by a large white crescent and star.  Both jerseys have the phrase “Turkiyem,” or “My Turkey,” printed inside the shirt as ...

 Croatian football means pride, passion, skill and dazzling checks — all are present in the team's dynamic 2020 Nike collection. “Croatia is always a really inspiring federation for Nike because of the power of their identity,” says Scott Munson, VP, Nike Football Apparel. “The new 2020 home kit is true to Croatian football heritage, while the away is another very cool interpretation of Croatian design for the players and supporters.” For 2020, the Croats’ renowned checks are big and bold on a traditional home shirt. The team’s vibrant red and white home notably sees the checks return to the jersey’s sleeves. A Nike Swoosh and team crest decorate the chest, while a squad number is neatly ensconced inside the central panel of the design. Bright blue stripes dart down the sides of the torso. The words “Hrvatska Vatreni” (Croatia Blazers) are printed inside the shirt as an inner pride feature, and the look is completed by white shorts and red socks. That phrase appears again on the te...

 Portugal’s European kings are celebrated with a regal 2020 collection befitting the team's status as reigning continental champions. “I think the home is a kit befitting a team of champions, while the away is all about flair, confidence and style — attributes that this team has in abundance,” says Scott Munson, VP, Nike Football Apparel. Crisp and elegant, Portugal’s traditional red and green home kit is garnished with gold to create a look worthy of footballing royalty. A fold-down collar gives the new home jersey a refined feel, as does the patriotic red, green and black trim on the collar and sleeves. The gold squad number connects nicely with the gold of the premium crest, while another flash of gold, a Portuguese “P,” is printed inside the jersey.  “I think the home is a kit befitting a team of champions, while the away is all about flair, confidence and style — attributes that this team has in abundance.”  Scott Munson, VP, Nike Football Apparel. Green shorts retur...

 Poland’s 2020 national team collection digs into the archives to draw inspiration from a golden era for the team. “When you look back through Polish football history, there is a lot of inspiration to be found,” says Scott Munson, VP, Nike Football Apparel. “Moving the eagle to the center is a way to tap into that rich heritage." With the eagle’s return to the heart of the shirt, the Poland 2020 national team kit harkens back to the late 1970s and early 1980s when Poland twice finished third in the world. “It’s amazing to see the badge back in the middle of the shirts,” says midfielder Sebastian Szymański. “It makes you think of those great teams and players from the past and that will definitely inspire us. I also love all the special little touches on both the home and the away and I think the fans will too.” Poland’s new home comes in white with a fold down collar that is fastened by two buttons, both of which are embossed with an eagle. The collar has a prominent red trim and ...

 Norway’s dramatic landscapes provide the inspiration for the elemental beauty of the national team’s 2020 collection.  Linked by an overarching theme of “Fire and Ice,” Norway’s home kit smolders, while the away captures the rugged terrain and glaciers of Nordic lands. “I think we have good young players who will appreciate these kits,” says Norway national football team forward Erling Haaland. “The home is quite traditional, but with some really nice touches. The away is very cool, very original, we haven’t had a Norway kit like this before. I am looking forward to wearing both of them.” Norway’s vivid red home simmers with national pride. The jersey has a strong V-neck collar, white detailing and a prominent crest. Side stripes, inspired by the cross on the Norwegian flag, dart down the sides of the torso. The same blue and white stripe appears on the sides of the shorts and wraps around the socks midway up the calf.  The new away jersey features a white base, covered ...

 Two generations of world champions are connected in the 2020 national team collection that celebrates the best of contemporary French streetwear and art. As in 2018, when Les Bleus emulated the heroes of 1998 by capturing the nation’s second global crown, the federation will play with a red band stretching proudly across the chest of its home kit to signify fraternity.  “I think two years ago we brought the country together, just like back in 1998,” says Les Bleus forward Kylian Mbappé. “Now we will wear a red stripe on our shirt just like they did. That was a great team, which created a legacy. Now is the time for us to keep striving to be the best and create one of our own.” In addition to the red band, France’s new home jersey takes its lead from the iconic marinière design with blue stripes flowing horizontally over a darker blue base. The pattern is broken by the singular red stripe, which shoots prominently across the chest. Above the stripe is the FFF crest and a Nike ...

 Finland’s 2020 collection is inspired by the fearless attitude that helped the men’s team secure qualification for a first major tournament. In Finnish culture, the concept of “sisu” is sacred. It translates as an extraordinary determination in the face of adversity — a stoic, steely perseverance.  The new 2020 home leans heavily on the flag. A white background provides the base for a blue cross that stretches the length and breadth of the jersey.  The vertical stripe fades from royal to dark blue, while the horizontal stripe travels from shoulder to shoulder and houses a gold Nike Swoosh and gold trimmed national team crest. White shorts and socks complete the look. The socks have an elevated blue band wrapped around the calf, marked with another gold Swoosh. The phrase “Sisu Suomi,” in the colors of the Finnish flag, sits inside the jersey as an inner pride feature. The away comes in dark navy blue with a fold-down collar that is fastened by two gold buttons. A gold Sw...

 Capturing the spirit of the modern England team, representative of all people, the 2020 Nike collection employs the use of bespoke graphic prints that depict a “community of lions” — players and fans together, united in sharing a dream. Nike 2020-21 England National Team Kit 7 The Three Lions collection champions diversity and inclusivity and a group of young athletes and community leaders assembled to help relay that message. They included young players from the Football Beyond Borders program, Jawahir Roble, the nation’s first female muslim football referee; Bobby Kasanga, founder of Hackney Wick FC and Calum Jacobs, from CARICOM Magazine. Images were produced pre-COVID-19, and may not reflect current regulations around social distancing. “This team is closer than it’s ever been before — when we put on that England jersey, all club rivalries are set aside,” says captain Harry Kane. “We’re united in our goal of representing our fans far and wide. This collection captures that fee...

 The lion has always been a powerful symbol in Dutch culture, and in 2020, it roars from the very heart of the Netherlands’ new Nike collection. “It felt essential to create a collection absolutely packed with national pride," says Scott Munson, VP, Nike Football Apparel. "Integrating the KNVB’s lion directly into the knitting structure of the kit is a first-of-its-kind development in football.” Appearing on the Netherlands’ coat of arms and the KNVB crest, the lion’s characteristics of pride, strength and courage are celebrated in an innovative new home design that includes an exclusive knit depicting the face of a brave and fearless lion. The tonal orange color palette means the outline of the lion makes a firm but tasteful impression. The lion occupies the front of the jersey, helping both the men and women’s KNVB teams make a statement of intent. “This kit is really special,” says defender Virgil van Dijk. “I’ve never seen anything like it, and I love the message it sends...

  Fresh off a breakthrough season, Jadon Sancho honors his native Kennington and his South East London roots with a new collection. The SE11 Sancho Collection, including a Nike Mercurial boot, jersey, T-shirt and tracksuit, channels Sancho's unabashed love of football. “It's just a vibe, it gives you a feeling like no other and no matter how old you are, it never leaves you,” he says. Adorned with Kennington's post code, SE11, the collection's graphics feature words and phrases like "MEGZ" (in reference to a nutmeg), "Vibez" and "Sancho Sauce," that define Sancho's playing style. With "Blue Park" carefully inscribed on the laces and "#SE11 4 J@DON" placed on the tongue, the boot highlights Sancho's connection to Kennington. “This isn’t just for me, it’s for all the ballers across London who were told they’d never make it,” says Sancho. “Every time I step out onto the pitch, I represent them all. It’s a privilege ...

 Nike and Liverpool Football Club launched their partnership on August 1. The new home kit acknowledges the club's past. Liverpool's 2020-21 away kit introduces a visionary look that is a visual representation of club and city.  “We have very distinct design filters that are fully demonstrated in the collection we’ve created for Liverpool FC,” says Scott Munson, VP, Nike Football Apparel. “We set out to create a collection that celebrates the rich culture of the city of Liverpool and the club. The away kit allowed us to be bolder and more expressive in how we brought some of these cultural references to life, and we’ve landed on a look and aesthetic that really reflects that.”  Having introduced teal through subtle design references in the home jersey, the color explodes into a bold print on the 2020-21 away jersey — heavily influenced by the Liver Bird (the beacon of the city). The kit is also emphasized by the Shankly gates, which are brought to life through the swirlin...

July 20, 2020 - FC Internazionale Milano’s 2020-21 away kit provides an exciting and original take on the club’s traditional style. After a season of playing in aquamarine, Inter switches back to its familiar white away jerseys, this time accompanied by a new Nerazzurri grid graphic. The graphic represents the community of Milanese people that looks to the future of the city and the Club with an innovative approach. Building on the themes established by the club’s new home kit, the away is "Made of Milano" too, taking inspiration from the Milanese post-modernist movement, which changed the global face of art and design in the 1980s. “The alternating black and blue lines make for a really fresh interpretation of the club’s typical away look and really reinforces their Nerazzurri identity,” says Scott Munson, VP, Nike Football Apparel. Inter’s new away jersey has a white base with black and blue lines, forming an all-over grid graphic that covers the front, back and sleev...

Football

Every football has some unpredictable movement in flight, and due to a variety of aerodynamic parameters. For instance, if a ball is completely smooth, it is gripped by the air, creating a significant wake and causing frequent changes in direction. These shifts can result in misplaced long balls, derailing a potentially fruitful counter, or shots that stray off goal. Nike Flight, a game-changing football, addresses issues of inconsistent aerodynamics through a revolutionary ball design. Incorporating Nike’s new AerowSculpt technology, the ball delivers a measurable benefit of 30 percent truer flight than its Nike predecessor. Nike Flight Ball 0 AerowSculpt technology delivers a measurable benefit of 30 percent truer flight. Explore, Recreate and Innovate The Nike Flight ball concludes an eight-year investigation into improving consistency of football flight by the Nike Equipment Innovation Lab. There, insights from players are addressed in three stages: Explore, Recreate and ...

The Nike React Gato is designed specifically for futsal players and leverages a trio of innovative technologies — Nike Touch360, Nike Flyknit and Nike React — to promote fluid movement, durability and comfort. The boot’s design is informed by studies in the Nike Sports Research Lab (NSRL) that recorded a library of futsal moves and gathered data on the directional forces at play while players control the ball. The research is all about enhancing touch and improving control in the fast-paced, tightly-spaced, small-sided game. During a 40-minute futsal match, the number of touches, shots on goal and meters covered per minute by each player exceeds those in an 11-player, 90-minute match. There are four times the touches, twice as many shots, and, on average, four times as many goals scored. These statistics are indicative of a game that requires players to adapt quickly — skill is defined by a creative mix of individuality, style and muscle memory — and play fast. Nike ReactGato 8...

The extensive array of federations donning the Swoosh each have unique histories and cultures. In 2020, their distinctive attributes are celebrated with highly differentiated collections. Building upon the learnings from the successful 2018 Nigeria Collection, Nike undertook deep cultural immersions and collaborated with each federation to ensure the designs truly resonated. From hand-drawn prints to custom fonts, each team’s look will be its own. Counter to templatization, Nike designers had 65 chassis options available to them across varying necklines, sleeves, cuffs, badge placement, etc. In addition to the art of designing football kits, science is always at the forefront of the process. It all starts in the lab, where Nike captured data on more than 300 footballers and football-specific movements. The design team leveraged 4D visualization tools to bring the product to life before creating samples. This process helps Nike analyze how the kits will perform on body with regard to...

Today, Nike unveiled a concept football boot, the Nike Air Zoom Mercurial. The boot is built around a full-length articulated Zoom Air bag that provides a unique underfoot sensation and enhanced energy return. To achieve this, the internal boot chassis was transitioned to the plate, leaving only the sockliner between the foot and the Zoom Air bag for maximum effect. While Nike Football experimented with Air bags decades ago, modern advancements to the technology and its application inspired the design team to revisit its inclusion for this special project. Beyond Zoom Air’s functional application, it also provided inspiration for the overall aesthetic of the boot.  “We started with a full length Zoom Air bag and visualized what it would look like if the Air bag kept growing up the sides and enveloped the boot,” says Jeongwoo Lee, Senior Design Director, Nike Football. “This led to the creation of an upper so translucent, varying the hues of the internal sockliner drastically i...

02/07 PG4 FOOTBALL GREY/LASER BLUE-LT SMOKE GREY

December 15, 2019 - Odell Beckham Jr.'s Week 15 Nike Vapor Untouchable Pro 3 OBJ Uptempo Cleat pays homage to his alma mater in addition to his favorite professional basketball team with a purple and gold colorway. The wide receiver will wear the cleats during his pregame warmup ahead of the Cleveland Browns' away game against the Arizona Cardinals December 15.