Sustainability and innovation are at the core of the 2020 Australia National Team Kit, revealed live today by Nike and Football Federation Australia for thousands of fans.
Nike athletes unveiled the home and away kits, which will unify the Matildas and Socceroos in key tournaments leading up to the biggest football events of 2022 and 2023.
Joining from Europe, Asia and Australia, Matildas Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Caitlin Foord, Kyah Simon and Hayley Raso and Socceroos Trent Sainsbury, Awer Mabil, Adam Taggart and Jamie Maclaren revealed the new kit.
Made from recycled plastic bottles
As part of Nike’s commitment to Move To Zero, the Australia kits are again constructed with 100% recycled polyester from plastic bottles.
Since 2010, more than 7.5 billion plastic bottles have been diverted from landfills and waterways and transformed into recycled polyester for Nike footwear and apparel.
The refined home jersey is a traditional Australian gold, elevated by a green colour blocked polo collar. The reintroduction of green shorts gives the athletes a classic home kit that embodies the DNA of Australian football. The kit is completed with gold socks.
The away kit reintroduces a fresh water jersey, fresh water socks and deep obsidian shorts. The colour is a contemporary take on the 2004 Socceroos kit, which was the first official kit released by Nike for the Socceroos and debuted in Sydney when Australia played Turkey in front of nearly 30,000 fans.
The obsidian shorts also revisit Australia’s football heritage, with navy having featured regularly in the national away kit. A Southern Cross appears as the outer pride element on the back of the away jersey.
The home and away kits feature Australian Federation crests on both jersey and shorts. In addition, both kits feature a jagged side stripe, which extends with a full swing of the leg and transitions into a vibrant yellow stripe on the away kit and a classic green stripe on the home kit.
Matildas Captain Sam Kerr said, “I’m a big fan of the classic design of this new home kit. It’s an honour to play in green and gold and we can’t wait to get back on the pitch as a team.”
“The next few years are so important for Australian women’s football, and we intend to do everyone proud in the lead up to a huge 2023.”
Socceroos defender Trent Sainsbury said, “As Australian footballers, we’re spread across the world.
Pulling on the kit always means we’re back together as a team, representing our country. It’s a special thing.”
Nike NextGen Vaporknit
Enabling the athletes to perform at top speed with zero distractions, the Australian National Team Kits are made with Nike’s NextGen Vaporknit.
Drawing on data from more than 300 football athletes, the kit’s high-stretch, anti-cling material allows for quick and agile movements with a streamlined fit. Applying the same principles used in Nike Flyknit footwear, precision knitting is reinforced where needed while heavily vented in areas prone to heat. The results, upon close inspection, reveal a highly intricate knitting structure while not distracting from the national pride artistry from afar.
Nike Pacific Vice President and General Manager, Ashley Reade, said, “We are excited to launch a kit that unifies the Matildas and Socceroos on their important journeys ahead of 2022 and 2023.”
“It’s inspiring to see the athletes in a classic home kit, embodying our inner pride through the symbolic use of traditional green and gold colours.”
“The away jersey revisits our first official Nike Socceroos kit. As we head into a significant period for Australian football, it is fitting to recognise our long-standing partnership with the FFA and the inspirational athletes, past and present, who have represented our country.”
Football Federation Australia Chief Executive Officer, James Johnson, believes the launch of the new kits is timely for the sport.
“Australia’s new Nike kits – which will be worn by the Socceroos throughout their qualification path to Qatar 2022 and by the Matildas at the next Women’s Asian Cup in India – have been unveiled at a time when our senior national teams are readying to reboot post-COVID,” Johnson said.
“Both the Matildas and the Socceroos will have significant schedules of activity over the next two years, so these kits – both home and away – will feature in an array of significant matches in 2021 and 2022 as our players and teams aim to excel on the global stage.”
“With a new Matildas Head Coach arriving soon, the Socceroos on top of their qualification group for Qatar, and a host of important national team fixtures and tournaments coming up over the next 24 months, the launch of these new kits represents another important milestone in the history of our national teams.”
