Top Naija News: Nigerian News, Breaking News Nigeria and World News Top Naija News is a daily news publication in Nigeria, delivering the latest breaking news in Nigeria and around the world.
World Cup 2022 kits have all been released, ahead of the winter tournament.
With Women’s Euro 2022 shirts taking priority in the summer, many of the men’s tops were dripfed in the weeks and months up to the competition itself. It’s made it a busy time for football shirts, too – Premier League kits and European kits are also all out now, while retro kits are still as popular as ever.
With Nike shirts, Adidas shirts, Puma shirts and others all dropping, here’s everything we know so far – are any of these among the best kits of 2022?
Argentina
After Argentina won the Copa America with camouflage-patterned stripes, Adidas have reworked the Albaceleste’s jersey with a more traditional look for the World Cup in Qatar.
There are two thinner sky-blue stripes on the back of this one, as the Argentina flag appears just above the players’ names.
Should Argentina have a good tournament, their purple, bunsen burner away top will go down as a future classic. Look us in the eye and tell us that you haven’t changed your mind on 90s kits in the past decade…
After black and navy change strips in recent years, this one is something a little different for Lionel Messi and co., but plenty won’t be sold on it.
Australia
“The 2022 kit evokes Australia’s unique ecosystems,” Nike says. “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.”
It’s certainly on the yellower side of gold, with a lighter green paired with the shimmery base of the top. Given how Australia often have a very dark green trim, this new home shirt is a welcome change.
Nike label the colour of the Aussie away shirt as “Obsidian” and it’s perhaps the closest you can have to the midpoint between the two traditional change strip shades. In some lights it looks dark green, in others, blue.
“The away kit is a homage to the Australian coastlines and teeming ocean,” the American brand states. “Obsidian and Green Glow represent the marine life and reefs and signal the deep connection between Australians and coastal life.”
Belgium
While the fire will divide fans – as much as Eden Hazard’s transfer to Real Madrid seems to have done – you have to say that Adidas have handled it classily. It’s a geometric pattern designed to look like fire rather than a massive photographic print. Now that would look naff.
For a side that call themselves the Red Devils, the new Belgium home shirt makes sense on a literal basis. And at least it’s not boring. But that doesn’t make it a winner in everyone’s eyes.
Belgium have had a fair few interesting away kits of late. The 2018 World Cup saw the Red Devils done a bright yellow for their away shirt, which was dulled down for this year’s Women’s Euros. At Euro 2022, Belgium’s change strip was a dull beige.
This new Belgium away shirt is pristine and clear though, something that the nation haven’t had for a while. And in pairing that super clean base, Adidas have done something a little different: there’s a multicoloured effect that looks so stylish and fresh. It’s lovely.
Brazil
A stunning update on the classic template of yellow, green and blue, there’s a jaguar pattern theme on the Brazil home shirt, since they’re the only living member of the panther family in South America.
This is an excellent kit, with lovely collar and well-designed flourishes throughout.
The Brazil away shirt is the traditional blue but has green jaguar-inspired sleeves, to carry on the home shirt pattern. It’s not going to be unanimously popular, this one…
Still, it’s something a little bit different and it’s well-designed at least. You certainly can’t ignore it…
Cameroon
Cameroon have left Le Coq Sportif and teamed up with One All Football. Unfortunately the results are a little mixed. This one isn’t one of the sleeker shirts at the tournament, unfortunately.
See what they did there? One have copied across the same pattern as the home shirt on a white base, which makes a change from yellow. The problem is that the pattern didn’t really work on green, so it just looks worse on white.
The red one might be our least favourite of the lot. Still, at least Cameroon will stand out in this one.
Canada
Canadian football is set for its biggest moment since the 1980s, as those polite North Americans are appearing at only their second-ever World Cup… yet according to Nike, Canada are on a “different cycle” to everyone else and won’t be getting new shirts for the World Cup.
It’s a shame, really. At least it’s not a horrible shirt.
Costa Rica
The Costa Rica home shirt for the World Cup is a lovely effort from New Balance. While the CONCACAF side have had some loud and garish tops at tournaments gone by, this one is a little more basic with thick cuffs said to be inspired by the national flag. Great effort.
Costa Rica’s away effort for the World Cup is exactly the same as the home top – just in a different colour. It’s very minimal – we like.
Croatia
There are clear differences but this new Croatia home shirt has more white in it than perhaps Nike have ever gone, recalling the look of the France ’98 vintage that Davor Suker top-scored in and led Croatia to the semi-finals wearing. Despite the potential for looking quite silly, this shirt actually doesn’t – and it’s a fine update on an icon.
The back, as you can imagine omits a few more squares, crossing the bridge nicely for how to leave a plain back for the numbers without ruining the design. Then there’s the central badge and Swoosh – which makes sense, here.
Croatia are back in blue after donning black and grey for the Euros and purple at the World Cup in 2018, when they finished runners-up to France. Before 2016, Croatian away shirts were royal blue with red and white checkers incorporated, while since, they’ve all had checkers of darker shades of black, grey and blue.
This is the most daring Croatia away shirt, with a faded check pattern that looks like it’s whizzing offing the shoulder. It looks like nothing we’ve ever seen – for Croatia or anyone else. Some will love it, others… won’t.
Denmark
What a way to celebrate 30 years of that majestic Euro 92 victory.
Three decades after the Danes’ unlikely European Championship win, the same kit is back for the World Cup – but there’s a twist. This one has no white on it whatsoever. It’s the same pattern but red-out. It looks absolutely amazing.
As if the home shirt wasn’t gorgeous enough, Hummel have delivered the same idea for the away. All-one-colour shirts have become all the rage in recent years and this one looks clean, pristine and pretty, with that Euro 92 design recoloured all-white for Qatar.
One of only two third kits at the World Cup, Hummel have completed the set with a beautiful blackout shirt: same pattern as the others, celebrating the ’92 win. The only thing we’re mad at? You’d have to buy all three, they’re that great.
Ecuador
Being a South American nation that plays in yellow and not being that one must hang heavy for Ecuador – but this shirt is more than capable of rivalling Brazil’s. A stunningly subtle top that incorporates a pretty patterns and lovely Ecuadorian icons, this will look smart in the Qatari sun.
No, Ecuador are not one of the first teams you look for the kits from – but maybe they will be next time around. Their away shirt is absolutely excellent: top work, Marathon. You’ve knocked it out the park.
The Netherlands have an orange and black shirt this time around – but maybe it was imperative that Ecuador rocked up with a spare choice just in case. It’s a lovely shirt but not on the level of the home and away.
England
Nike have spun the brand new England home shirt back to 1996, bringing the sky blue and royal blue touches from England’s home Euros top. We’ve got a lot of respect for that – it’s just the gradient that may grate.
But in defence of the fade, it’s about time the American manufacturer delivered something a little less safe. It’s a nice colour, it doesn’t make the shirt look too loud or garish – and yes it may look a little like a training kit now but it’s not going to when you’ve actually seen England play in this one.
The new Nike England away shirt is as close as you can get to bringing out a shirt that’s unanimously popular. Euro 2020’s blue change strip was daring but dividing, while the 2018 World Cup shirt was pretty enough but not particularly head-turning. This one is both subtle and stunning, using the same blues from the home effort and delivering something a kit that feels genuinely different to anything the England side has had in years.
The cues from 1990 are clear. The collar is delightful, the navy is well-picked, too. While a deep crimson – such as Liverpool’s home shirt – would have been an easy win, this is a lighter red, more like 1966’s vintage. That could have looked a bit naff: it looks beautiful.
France
France are no strangers to navy blue, of course. Didier Deschamps’ men lifted their second world title in the Moscow rain wearing a navy that looked almost black in the downpour – while last summer, the French shirt remained that darker blue with an oh-so-Gallic set of horizontal lines.
Nike have kept with the programme with this new France home shirt. The French women’s side were given the most gorgeous, horticulturally-patterned top for their Euro 2022 jaunt to the semi-finals but the men’s shirts this year are plainer, with gold returning for the numbers, logos and flourishes.
Well, this one might be the best French away shirt for quite some time. Inspired by French toile de Jouy, according to Nike, iconic French imagery is woven into the top, such as the nation’s Cockerel image that forms their badge, botanicals as seen on both the home shirt sleeves and the women’s Euro top from the summer, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and the country’s famed Clairefontaine youth academy.
Now this is how to brighten up a plain white tee.
Germany
It’s nice to see that Adidas haven’t trotted out the same old designs for this new shirt. The new home shirt actually feels fresh and new – and a little inspired by Ajax, don’t you think?
This one has regal touches of gold and a completely white back, too.
In the pantheon of all-time Germany shirts, this lovely away effort is not going to live long in the memory, we expect – but that’s the only criticism that we have.
After the frankly stunning teal top of four years ago, Germany have another black and red change strip, with this one recalling the iconic hooped top of 2014 that Die Mannschaft wore when they smashed Brazil 7-1. It doesn’t have too much fanfare – it’s very pretty though.
Ghana
The Ghana home kit for the 2022 World Cup is a lot plainer than previous efforts.
There is bright colour around the cuffs though, at the very least – while the traditional black star is in the centre of the chest.
Puma’s grand plan has been revealed: release plain home shirts because the away efforts are… out there.
Yeah, the German brand are not afraid to reinvent with club clients getting shirts with “MAN CITY” or “BVB 09” in thick lettering in a band across the middle of the chest last season. The World Cup brings with it a brand new twist – boxes for the number to sit in.
So what happens if you buy this and don’t want a number on it?
Iran
Iran have left Adidas, with their shirts for the 2022 World Cup now manufactured by Majid. The one we thought they’d be wearing was one of the first released for the tournament, featuring the nation’s traditional colours of green and red as flashes across the chest.
But now they’ve gone and dropped another, days before the tournament. We can’t say we love it too much more to be honest.
Majid’s away shirt for Iran is exactly the same as the home just in red. The local manufacturer released a new shirt earlier on in the year but didn’t confirm whether it was set to be worn at the World Cup – now, with the new home shirt, this one has dropped days before the tournament.
Japan
It’s an absolute triumph. Japan aren’t favoured to go far in this tournament but as with previous tops, they’ve captured imagination with their new home shirt. We’re big fans.
For something that looks quite brash at first glance, this one is actually rather understated, though. The top’s base pattern is subtler than meets the eye and when the players don this in the Middle Eastern sun, you won’t even notice the design from your TV.
The geometric lines from the Samurai Blue’s first choice are taken off the base of the top and displayed on the arms of the glorious away shirt, in blue and red. Where there’s a crossover the two colours, they look darker, giving this glorious 3D effect, with the socks having the same pattern all over.
Adi have wrapped up the rest of the design with a simple, navy round collar and three stripes to match. It’s magnificent.
Mexico
Mexico have been on a journey recently when it comes to home shirts. There was a black and grey hooped top with Aztec patterns, before a black and pink top was released – and they’ve even had time to release a new badge.
Well, Mexico are back in green in 2022, with an eagle-inspired pattern adorning the top of the new home shirt. It just wouldn’t be a World Cup without a bold Mexican shirt, now would it? This one is sure to divide less opinion than some of their past efforts.
This isn’t the first time that the Mexican side have drawn on their Aztec history with a football shirt: the 90s were packed with them. Well, Adi have gone even bigger and bolder this time.
The away shirt for the Mexicans this time is exactly the same as the 2018 effort colourwise – a sort of off-white with burnt red flourishes – only with gorgeous swirly graphics all over. It’s subtle enough that the players will just look like they’re wearing white from a distance but this thing looks absolutely magnificent up close. The shorts, too, are superb – a sort of deep, de-saturated green. 10/10, Adidas.
Morocco
Morocco had that green bar across the centre of their 1998 top – and this is a nice callback. Nothing too exciting but a shirt that looks pretty classy among the pack.
Of all of Puma’s disastrous away shirts, this might be the most tolerable. the pattern isn’t too prominent and it’s quite a plain top. Still, it’s nowhere near the nicest, either…
Netherlands
Just like some of Louis van Gaal’s greatest concoctions, the new Netherlands home shirt actually looks great. It doesn’t look too much like Virgil van Dijk and co. are literally wearing the hide of an animal – instead, the lighter touches of orange give this one a softer pattern than Euro 2020’s sharp, geometric effort.
“A dancing swirl of Orange Peel and Laser Orange evokes the mane of a lion, the historic symbol of the Low Countries, and represents the fluidity of the Total Football tactical system,” Nike claims.
This particular shade of blue veers on purple, recalling the Euro 2000 away top – perhaps 2014’s away shirt was a reference too: the one that Robin van Persie wore when he flung himself like a salmon to score against Spain. There’s black integrated into the Netherlands away shirt, with a sort of reddish-orange used for the logos.
It feels quintessentially Dutch, too. Don’t ask us why: it’s not a copy of any old Oranje change kit and yet if you were to swap the crest for England’s or France’s, we’d know that it should have been used for the Netherlands.
Poland
Poland don’t often have attention-grabbing home shirts and this is no different. A subtle light grey pattern on the shoulders gives this one a little focus without doing anything too controversial.
Poland’s away shirt this time around is red – surprise, surprise – with very little embellishment. Still, the cuffs and collar look lovely.
Portugal
The new Portugal home shirt breaks with all tradition. The first thing it recalls is the Monaco shirt, with a diagonal block of colour – yes, in exactly the same corner, too. It’s more green than has ever been on a Selecao shirt. So much so that it might enforce kit clashes.
The tone of the red has lightened from the last two efforts, while the gold is now a more yellow tone. But still, this one has divided opinion online.
Only once in the 2010s did Portugal ever wear a white top with navy trim – it was far more popular about 20 years ago, now – but now they’ve returned to that base with the new Portugal away shirt. Well, sort of… it’s not actually white white.
“The away kit uses Sail White, an off-white tone, to ensure the Portuguese stands out in a sea of bright white kits,” Nike say, splitting the finest of hairs. We can assure you, guys, that this doesn’t “stand out” enough for Portugal to wear against the England home shirt.
Qatar
It’s Qatar’s first World Cup and they’re going to be dressed immaculately. The deep shade of red from their flag translates gloriously on this top, which uses Nike’s latest template to perfection: the flag appears on the sleeves, while the badge and Swoosh are centred, too. Top work.
Cue the obvious dad question of “Why do Qatar have an away shirt when they won’t be playing away?” This one is a solid effort and by our count, the only true beige top of the tournament.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s last away kit was a watershed moment for the nation’s football shirts: a deep red, with leaves adorning in a pretty pattern. Well, those leaves have returned for the home effort. It’s not perfect but it beats the plain white tees that they’ve been donning for years.
Following from their bold away kit of last time, Saudi Arabia have another loud pattern for their change strip. This one is certain to stand out in Qatar – whether you love it or hate it.
Senegal
Simple without undercooking the design, Senegal’s 2022 top is a triumph and reminiscent of the old Manchester United chevron kit. This one has plenty of colour to catch your gaze and is subtle enough, too.
The weird box thing that looks daft without the number. The big “SEN” text faintly behind it. The “Lions” and Senegal flag either side of the badge. The vertical stripe. There’s so much going on and we don’t like any of it.
Serbia
Fair play to Puma – their home kits are generally on the money in this tournament and Serbia are yet another with a striking but simple shirt that hits the mark. A nice shade of red with lovely, regal gold.
Who approved this style at Puma HQ? Another disastrous away kit from the German brand who have managed to ruin a plain white shirt with silly gold outlining.
South Korea
That lush coral-red has become instantly synonymous with the nation – and the new South Korea home shirt is another beautiful strip in a long line of classics.
The “tiger stripes” of the last away shirt are back – this time in a subtle graphic on the shoulders, while there’s no white at all. Korea have gone red and black, leaning in on that Red Devils nickname.
Their last away shirt was a much-beloved black/white tiger-stripe effort and the new South Korea away top is in a similar vein: it’s black, with jagged stripes all over in various colours. It’s just as loud, just as fun and actually, it might have even topped that classic.
It’s going to be a favourite with many. Nike are great at introducing big, bold designs like these and once you’ve caught a gander of Son Heung-min strutting his stuff in this, you’re going to fall for it.
South Korea World Cup 2022 away kit
The new Spain home shirt is modest – and for that, Adidas have done well. In a sea of silly graphics at this year’s tournament, La Roja are understated and going back to basics. A little like how the country has had to rebuild, a decade after than platinum generation of tiki-takarrers.
Still, was it too much to ask for just one point of focus? Usually kits this plain are reserved for those not elite enough to have their own personalised graphics. We’re not asking for a bruised banana, here, guys…
The best compliment you can pay the Spain away shirt is that the mix of blues doesn’t make this one look too loud at all. Especially when you factor in the red and yellow stripes on the sleeve – we love a national flag represented in the Adidas stripes – along with that newly reworked crest.
While the German manufacturer went for a home top that would obviously please everyone, they may have worried that the away would be more marmite. We’re struggling to see why, though. Who wouldn’t like this one?
Switzerland
Tunisia
Kappa are only at the World Cup to do Tunisia’s kits and while there isn’t much new to do with the home shirt, this one has a nice pattern to give the side a refresh for 2022. Nice without standing out too much.
If you’d have given just us the home shirt, we probably could’ve drawn the away shirt for you. It’s nice enough but instantly forgettable.
Tunisia’s third shirt is the best of the bunch: a deep green marvel with touches of gold. That same pattern from the home shirt is carried across.
United States
The US have once more got an exclusive at international level that PSG have domestically – yes, the Swooshes are on the sleeve of the new United States home shirt, rather than on the body of the kit itself. Strangely, the Swoosh is mirrored on the right sleeve. This is the first time that the brand have ever done this internationally in football.
“The 2022 USA collection serves as a symbol of national pride and draws inspiration from the United States’ diverse and storied sport legacy,” Nike says. “The iconic U.S. uniform design cues include bold stripes, an enlarged center [sic] 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.”
American away shirts tend to be a little samey: mostly navy blue, anyway. The new United States away top is a little lighter with a dyed pattern akin to Leeds United’s divisive yellow top this season, with Nike justifying it as and “ice-dying technique used on the away kit creates a vibrant pattern to celebrate diversity and youth.”
Actually, it looks really nice. This is one of the more memorable US away shirts.
Uruguay
The Uruguay home kit follows the same template as other Puma efforts at the World Cup. It’s a slightly brighter blue and has a gold Puma logo.
The home tops that the German brand have released have looked more vintage this year – and this is a drastic upgrade from the 2018 home shirt from Uruguay. Just let’s not get into a debate about how many stars should be on this top…
Thank goodness for sponsorships in club football. They essentially prevent Puma from bringing this design to the likes of Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund.
It’s too late for Uruguay, meanwhile, who get a silly box on their shirt which forces you to have a number on the front. Otherwise, you’ll forever be draw to why those vertical lines don’t continue through the box.
Wales
The Euro 2020 effort was solid if not unspectacular but for this brand-new home top, Adidas have deepened the crimson and brought back a vintage colour combination for the nation’s first World Cup in 64 years. That zig-zag theme continues with the away, while the green from the crest is perfectly matched to the round collar.
It’s exactly what Welsh fans would have been hoping from for this one, right?
There’s a good case that this may well be Wales’ nicest away shirt this side of the century. The retro top that this one took its cues from are hard to beat for a new generation of Welsh fans, this might make brand new memories in the Middle Eastern sun.
