THE BLOG BY CPD FOOTBALL | The World of Indian football and beyond by Chris Punnakkattu Daniel

Australia’s new kit honors footballing pioneers

November 16, 2005, is a treasured date in Australian football history. On that day, the Socceroos overcame unlikely odds to qualify for 2006’s tournament in Germany. The federation had not appeared in a major international competition in 32 years, and the victory is still viewed as a major turning point for the sport down under.

“In the days before Australia’s triumphant game in ’05, the team captain issued a public statement requesting the support of every Socceroo fan inside and outside the stadium to create a sea of gold,” says Pete Hoppins, Nike Football Apparel Senior Design Director. “It’s that battle cry that inspired the home kit.”

Gold from top to bottom, the 2018 home kit is a significant change from the traditional combination of a gold shirt with green shorts, and a vibrant call to action for the national side’s new talent as it heads to Russia.

“Green and gold are the colors of the Australian national team, so we wanted to celebrate that directly with a green away kit. The sharp graphic on the away shirt is a reference to the sharp points on the kit worn on November 16, 2005,” says Hoppins.

The 2018 Australia National Team Collection also includes a pre-match top, which is a Strike Green design with full-bleed speed blur, and training apparel in Aloe Verde Green.

The collection will be available April 6 on nike.com. The kits will debut April 8 when Australia’s women’s team, the Matildas, take the pitch for their most important competition this year.

(Nike)