American sports manufacturer Nike has introduced its football-themed 2022 Men’s National Team collections, which is inspired by cultures from various countries. For the first time, more than 75 per cent of the entire Nike Football apparel collection is made with 100 per cent recycled polyester. The brand has made use of proprietary sport science and digital design to create lifestyle assortments for men, women, and kids.

Kits and training kits are underpinned by Dri-FIT ADV, Nike’s apparel material platform, according to a press release by Nike. Match kits and training apparel combine rigorous data with comprehensive computational design based on a 4D-model to create a cutting-edge, lightweight kit. The new seamless kit is engineered pixel by pixel to provide precise reinforcement and venting for distraction-free play. The kits’ and training kits’ new, distinct aesthetic also feature fluid cut lines that match throughout the shirt and short, even as the athlete is in motion.

US’ Nike has introduced its football-themed 2022 Men’s National Team collections, which is inspired by cultures from various countries. For the first time, more than 75 per cent of the entire Nike Football apparel collection is made with 100 per cent recycled polyester. Kits and training kits are underpinned by Dri-FIT ADV, Nike’s apparel material platform.

“Our new team collections represent the latest example of how we serve athletes with pinnacle product innovation from Pitch to Street,” said Scott Dixon, VP, Global Men’s Football. “With 5 billion fans across the globe, no other sport brings people together more than football. That’s why we’re committed to bringing our best to the world’s biggest stage—and everywhere else—and building the most joyful, brilliant Nike football community ever.”

The Nike 2022 Men’s National Team collections have been inspired by the following countries:

Brazil: The 2022 Brazilian collection features unique onça-pintada knit patterns of the home kit and print on the away kit sleeves. The onça-pintada—or jaguar—is a ubiquitous national symbol of spirit and grit and reflects the Brazilian team’s style of play. Dynamic Yellow, Green Spark, and Paramount Blue, symbolising the Brazilian flag, are used in contrasting formats on both kits. The kits also feature hidden symbols, like a discoverable Brazilian flag element on the home kit’s front placket, and a ‘Garra Brasileira’ (‘Brazilian Grit’) treatment on the inner back of the shirt, a reference to the nation’s grit and resilience, while also doubling as a reference to the claw of the onça-pintada.

France: The new French collection celebrates the France Nouveau, or New France—a fusion of the country’s heritage and future. The oak leaf and olive branch pattern of the home kit represents strength, solidarity, and peace. Classic French design cues include a tricolour insert on the short, a jacquard sock and cuff, and gold detailing. The away kit graphic, inspired by French toile de Jouy, is made up of iconic French and Les Bleus imagery like the Cockerel, botanicals, the Arc de Triomphe, and Clairefontaine.

Netherlands: The 2022 Dutch home kit features a dancing swirl of Orange Peel and Laser Orange, which evokes the mane of a lion, the historic symbol of the Low Countries, and represents the fluidity of the Total Football tactical system. On the away kit, rich colours and textures continue to tell the story of culture and football constantly influencing each other in the Netherlands.

Portugal: Portugal’s 2022 kits signal a new era on the horizon for futebol português. On the home kit, Pepper Red and Gorge Green, with Gold Dart tipping, nods to the Portuguese flag while a diagonal line mimics the flag wrapped around the body. National pride is shown through the crest of the Federação Portuguesa de Futebol (FPF) and the esfera armilar, used as a patch on the back collar. The away kit uses Sail White, an off-white tone, to ensure the Portuguese club stands out in a sea of bright white kits.

USA: The 2022 USA collection serves as a symbol of national pride and draws inspiration from the United States’ diverse and storied sport legacy. The iconic US uniform design cues include bold stripes, an enlarged centre crest akin to basketball jerseys, double Swooshes on the sleeves reminiscent of those used on American football jerseys, the unique shoulder and sleeve cut-and-sew construction and pattern of a hockey jersey, and timeless block lettering. Subtle details, like ‘States United’ on the inner back of the shirt, add depth to the story of unity and togetherness while the ice-dying technique used on the away kit create a vibrant pattern to celebrate diversity and youth.

Australia: The 2022 kit evokes Australia’s unique ecosystems. Through University Gold, Tour Yellow, and Green Noise, the home kit conjures the rugged, sandy landscape of the Outback and the rich wetlands and forests. The away kit is a homage to the Australian coastlines and teeming ocean. Obsidian and Green Glow represent the marine life and reefs and signal the deep connection between Australians and coastal life.

Canada: The 2022 Canada kit will be the same the team has worn throughout the past year, as Canada Soccer is on a different kit development cycle. The kits are highlighted by Canada’s traditional red and white colour scheme and are accentuated by the Canadian Soccer crest, featuring the maple leaf, the nation’s most widely recognised symbol.

Croatia: The 2022 Croatian home kit introduces a modern take on the globally recognised chequered pattern that symbolises Croatian pride. The clean lines of the home kit underline the core Croatian values of family, passion, and tradition, while the away kit’s blurred, wavy lines nod to the ebbs and flows of Croatia’s Adriatic coastline.

Korea: The Korean home kit centres on the motif of Dokkaebi. The fiery moniker represents the fierce mentality of a proud nation and is amplified by vibrant Global Red and a tiger-stripe sleeve graphic representing strength and power. The away kit highlights Taegeuk, the symbol found on the Korean flag that represents national pride and balance between heaven (blue) and earth (red). On both kits, a pride emblem spells out the country’s name in Korean on the rear collar.

Poland: For Poland’s home kit, intricate sleeve graphics depict the nest and feathers of a white eagle, the feature of the country’s coat of arms, paying homage to the centuries-old symbol of Polish sovereignty and unity. Sport Red and White, Poland’s national colours, celebrate peace and honour.

Qatar: The Qatari home kit combines Desert Maroon with white serrated trim to mirror the Qatari flag. The crest on the upper chest highlights Qatar’s host nation status. The away kit evokes the coastline of Qatar while a subtle string of pearls graphic overlay nods to the history of pearl-diving in the coastal atolls. In motion, the kit is meant to resemble a sandstorm swirling in the arid sun.

Saudi Arabia: The green and white colour ways of the 2022 Saudi kit are inspired by the Saudi Arabian flag. The shield of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) features a falcon, or saqr in Arabic which doubles as a multilingual reference to the word soccer. The away kit uses an all-over-print interpretation that builds on concepts from the 2018 and 2020 away kits to evoke a sense of speed and boldness.

The home and away jerseys for the majority of the federations launch on September 15 (Members Only) with a general release of the full collections on September 21, added the release.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)