World Cup 2022: Adidas, Puma release jerseys while USMNT's Nike kits wait
With the 2022 World Cup less than three months away, national teams and their outfitters have begun to reveal jerseys for the tournament in Qatar.
On Monday, Adidas released its lineup of kits, including a stunning design for Mexico, unique Argentina jerseys and more. Puma released another large wave, too — though they drew plenty of criticism.
The U.S. jerseys, which are made by Nike, have not yet been released, but have leaked, and they, too, have drawn widespread criticism. Multiple U.S. men's national team players, in comments on social media, seemingly confirmed the leaks and joined the chorus of fans who were unimpressed.
"We just as angry as y'all," forward Tim Weah wrote on Instagram.
On a Zoom call with reporters last week, midfielder Yunus Musah said: "The kits are — yeah, they're the kits that they made." After confirming that he'd seen and worn the actual jersey, he was asked to rate it, and gave it a sideways thumb — "in the middle," he said with his typical radiant smile.
Yunus Musah, on a media call right now, says he's seen and worn the USMNT World Cup kits (though doesn't confirm that they're the ones that have leaked).
Asked to rate them with a thumbs up or thumbs down, he says (with a smile, of course): "in the middle" pic.twitter.com/gBvKmOF6fs— Henry Bushnell (@HenryBushnell) August 25, 2022
The U.S. jerseys will be officially unveiled soon. The jerseys worn by the USMNT's biggest rival, meanwhile, have already drawn rave reviews.
Adidas World Cup kits for Mexico, Argentina, Germany, Japan
Mexico’s new secondary kit dropped on Monday, and it drew some of the most positive reactions so far. The Adidas jerseys, which will be used alongside the green primary kit, pay homage to ancient Mixtec art.
From our roots to our present. ❤️⚽️
Meet our new away jersey for the World Cup, Incondicionales. 🇲🇽😍#ElOrigenQueNosUne pic.twitter.com/5fib7L44UK— Mexican National Team (@miseleccionmxEN) August 29, 2022
Similarly, Japan’s Adidas kit landed well — and had a phenomenal anime theme to go with it.
日本を、歓喜で染めろ。#サッカー日本代表 2022 ユニフォームのコンセプトは #ORIGAMI。
日本の想いをひとつに。歓喜に満ちた新しい景色を、共に創ろう。
アディダス公式オンラインショップにて先行販売開始。
👉https://t.co/bRzdXVKEJA#アディダス #daihyo#日本を歓喜で染めろ pic.twitter.com/oyD82vbSqA— アディダス ジャパン (@adidasJP) August 29, 2022
Germany’s home and away kits, along with Argentina’s purple away kits, turned heads, too.
Argentina drop their away kit for the 2022 World Cup 🟣 pic.twitter.com/IZvyNGUPFw
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 29, 2022
Ready for the World Cup 🖤❤️💛
Our new kits are available now 👉 https://t.co/k6YbsIIo4a#adidasFootball @adidas pic.twitter.com/BKINBbuYYX— Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) August 29, 2022
Puma kits draw criticism again
Puma released six new away kits on Monday, and they all looked extremely similar.
The jerseys all had a national team logo and number inside a shape in the center with the Puma logo above it, though each design was tweaked slightly to represent the specific country. Ghana’s, for example, had it tricolor flag running atop the number box. Senegal’s away jerseys popped with the green and yellow colorway, too.
Bold meets proud 🇬🇭
The 2022 @ghanafaofficial Away kit, out now. pic.twitter.com/wkVNd508Ok— PUMA Football (@pumafootball) August 29, 2022
Lions of Teranga 🇸🇳
The 2022 @Fsfofficielle Away kit, out now. pic.twitter.com/FGLYxt44j1— PUMA Football (@pumafootball) August 29, 2022
Many Puma jerseys, however, were very similar to one another — and left plenty to be desired.
Stand for Suisse 🇨🇭
The 2022 @nati_sfv_asf Away kit, out now. pic.twitter.com/KEM3u9xwz0— PUMA Football (@pumafootball) August 29, 2022
It’s in the details 🇲🇦
The 2022 @EnMaroc Away kit, out now. pic.twitter.com/FozZhwFTCQ— PUMA Football (@pumafootball) August 29, 2022
The Eagles have landed 🇷🇸
The 2022 @FSSrbije Away kit, out now. pic.twitter.com/E8Dwn3Yemc— PUMA Football (@pumafootball) August 29, 2022
La Celeste in a fresh take 🇺🇾
The 2022 @AUFOficial Away kit, out now. pic.twitter.com/eAAeaydz2w— PUMA Football (@pumafootball) August 29, 2022
Puma’s universal design is clearly here to stay, and each country using the brand appears to be receiving some version of it to use in Qatar this fall.