showing all posts tagged with
soccer
Old Glory
Last month, Nike unveiled the new United States Men’s National Team away kit. It is glorious. The white sleeves combined with the red, white and blue crossover collar are designed to resemble varsity jacket. The familiar tonal slash on the body is a nod to the kit design worn by the 1950 USMNT team who defeated England in the World Championship finals. My favorite detail is the American flag tucked away on the inside neck. USA!
Nike Football All-Stars
Polish designer and illustrator, Krzysztof Domaradzki, is unstoppable. Don’t miss his 2009 set of t-shirt illustrations for Nike Football. Holy crap.
A Sign Of The Times
Is it me or does anyone else feel like soccer fandom in the United States is building towards a realistic tipping point? Are we that far away from a time when the casual sports fan will care about soccer when it isn’t World Cup related? Maybe the degree I surround myself with sports media has me even more separated from the casual fan than I realize. This photo, on the other hand, makes me think otherwise.
Here’s a shot from Chicago’s Wrigley Field yesterday afternoon. While the Cubs were outside on the field there were large groups of fans inside catching the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final.
(Source: ESPN)
“Abby Wambach’s head is an American treasure.”
— Matt Ufford
I’m so crazy in love with Nike’s new campaign for the South American Copa America tournament. Brought to us by Weiden+Kennedy, no shock there.
The South American Copa America tournament is much more than just a football tournament. Regional familiarity and shared language and customs makes the rivalries that much fiercer.
“Copa Barrio” celebrates each nation’s unique footballing point of view, while encouraging fans to support their “Barrio” during the tournament by getting involved with the campaign online. The objective for each Copa America nation is to recruit as many fans as possible to support their Barrio’s quest for absolute victory.
Check out Barrio Argentina video, Barrio Brazil video and the fancy facebook page where you pledge your allegiance.
O Campo (The Field)
This wonderful series of satellite photographs of futbol fields in Brazilian cities captures the passion and sheer desperation with which other countries will go just to play the game they love. Fascinating.
The desire for playing the game has clearly surpassed and ignored the limitations of natural topography and FIFA’s laws of the game. According to the official rules and regulations you would not be allowed to play football on any of these fields. However, the careers of many of the world’s best football players began on these very same fields despite their askew angles, odd proportions, misshapen border lines and pitch markings.
/via Quipsologies
Bloody England
In September of 1989 England found themselves needing only a single point to qualify for the 1990 World Cup. Mid-match against Sweden, Terry Butcher acquired a head injury that needed immediate stitches. Once his head was sewn and wrapped he re-entered the game where he continued to head the ball on his fresh stitches.
This is what he looked like by the end of the game — a bloody mess with a touch of insanity in his eyes. Terry Butcher. Does a name get any more appropriate than that? This is certainly something that officials would never allow to happen today.
Futbol Legends
Zoran Lucić serves up a ridiculously impressive number of posters, each one featuring a futbol legend. There are 46 in all and most of the greats are included — Pele, Zidane, Messi, Ronaldo, Best and more.
The expertly-placed-handwritten-typography-meets-photocopier look gives each poster a custom look and the entire series cohesiveness.
Well played, Zoran. Now how about printing and selling these?
The Greatest Athlete in the World?
We don’t often talk about soccer around here, but today I’ve got that futbol spirit. And anytime I run across a New York Times article claiming someone is “the greatest athlete in world”, well, I’m going to read that article. It reminded me of another piece from a couple months ago when Messi came to New Jersey.
I can think of no further way to describe what I was seeing, to draw for you his partnership with the ball, or explain his command of orbital mechanics or Newtonian physics. [Messi] is a suspension of cause and effect. He creates his own reality. As all Greats must, he defies science and language and must be seen to be believed.
— Jeff MacGregor, ESPN
So, take a quick break from the wall-to-wall NBA and NHL postseason coverage and enjoy some Messi prose or watch some highlights from the English Premier League’s thrilling Survival Sunday.
Sports Illustrations by Tsevis
As much as it pains me to post about Kobe Bryant, this is just too wonderful to pass up. I won’t lie to you: I was waiting for a Lakers playoff exit to post this—that’s how superstitious I am—and if L.A. had 3-peated again, this would have never seen the light of day. But, alas…
Be sure to check out all of Charis Tsevis’ sports illustrations, including these two great sets: The Colors of Basketball and Brazil in South Africa.
Futebol Bonito
He’s the greatest soccer player that ever lived, hero to many, United Nations ambassador, global icon and now the inspiration for a line of men’s fashion soccer apparel. The track jackets look nice but it’s the t-shirts that caught my attention. Personal favorites are the Winner Tee Block Letter Tee and the above Fashion Tee.
Love Creative is working with Umbro to create 1350, a campaign geared at life off-the-pitch. This campaign is concerned with the other 1350 minutes of your day after the 90 on the pitch. They’ve just released a nostalgia driven lifestyle collection.
1350, Umbro’s new sportswear concept, launches a mens lifestyle collection with a vintage aesthetic rooted in its iconic heritage in football apparel design.
Diamond Icons takes inspiration from the Umbro archives and references authentic Umbro brand heritage with the rebirth of the vintage running diamond tape.An icon of the 1970s, the Umbro diamond taping was created with a distinct personality and substance, epitomizing the look and feel of an era. It reached its zenith in Argentina at the 1978 World Cup and will forever be held in football folklore
They have a few styles available in the Umbro online store. I’m particularly drawn to the iconic Ringer Tee and the Heritage Track Jacket.
Timbers Propaganda
The Portland Timbers have worked their way up through the ranks and finally Soccer City USA has been rewarded with a MLS team. The team has a rabid fan base nicknamed the Timber Army. To celebrate the Timbers promotion to the MLS, Brent Diskin has created a collection of reappropriated propaganda posters.
Still not interested in the Timbers? Check out their goal celebration. After each home goal a round is cut off of the victory log. I’m sold.
Shhhhhhhh
“So, shhhhhhhh we keep it raw on the set.”
— Adam Horovitz
Juan Agudelo and Oguchi Onyewu of the United States celebrate Agudelo’s game-tying goal during the second half of a friendly match against Argentina at New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The teams played to a 1-1 tie.
Best viewed large.
Meet Nike’s new national team away kit for the French Football Federation. It’s gorgeous. This is much more than just a subtle blue and white jersey. The entire design is based off of the iconic French ‘marinière’ stripes. It’s classic, timeless and oh so French. The only way it could get more authentic is if Jacques Cousteau were the model.
The new away jersey takes strong visual cues from the ‘marinière’, a piece of French history since the last century, and now a timeless French style icon. The ‘marinière’ first appeared as the uniform of sailors in the French navy in the 19th century and was first seen in civilian wardrobes in the early 20th century. Soon, it would become a symbol of French culture, adopted by free-spirited individuals in France and beyond.
Football Shirt Culture.com has a lot more on the design and some great images. The French Football Federation already had one of the better logos and I’m pleased to see Nike build on it. There will be some people who don’t agree and aren’t into the design. Everyone has different tastes but I’m extremely impressed with the way Nike was able to wrap a countries culture into a uniform. Check out Nike’s promo video (in French). Two thumbs way up!
A Chitwood & Hobbs Field Report
