Nike Reveal Croatia Home and Away World Cup Kits - Football Shirts

With one the of the most recognisable kits in international football, Croatia have unveiled their new Nike national team Kit to be worn at this year's World Cup in Brazil. Unveiled in the country's capital of Zagreb during the trials of Nike Chance, striker Mario Mandzukic was on hand to present the new home jersey to Josip Juranovi, the winner of the day's session.
 

The gesture was designed to emphasize that the kit inspires players at every level, not only those who currently wear it. “We wanted to celebrate Croatia’s rich history and provide them with a new kit that would inspire national pride and help embolden the team each time they take to the pitch,” said Martin Lotti, Design Director for Nike Football.

The design of the Croatia home kit is inspired by the jersey Croatia wore for their first match as an independent team against the U.S. in October 1990 and will be worn during the 25th anniversary of this game. It skillfully combines old and new, featuring the distinctive red sleeves the Croatian team wore in 1990, as part of a modern design.

The jersey has a red V-neck collar and features Croatia’s famous red and white checks, first used on a national team kit in 1990. Inside the back of the neck is a woven inscription "Budi Ponosan," which translates to "Be Proud." The shorts are traditional white and the home socks are blue, ensuring the kit represents all three colors of the Croatian flag.

The bright blue away kit also features red-and-white checks, this time in a strip across the shoulders. The red and white checks have been a source of inspiration for the Croatian people since first being used in 1499 and represent freedom for Croatia. White signifies serenity, peace and honesty and red the bravery and strength of the Croatian people.

“The red and white checks resonate so deeply with the Croatian people that we wanted them to appear on both the home and away kit,” said Lotti. “So we’ve showcased them here in the away kit in a different and more subtle fashion.”


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