Women's World Cup wonders: Kits inspired by nations' natural beauty
With just under four months to go until the 2023 Women’s World Cup kicks off in Australia and New Zealand, Adidas has released a raft of away kits for six of the nations who will be competing at the tournament.
Argentina, Colombia, Germany, Japan, Spain and Sweden have all been furnished with a glorious array of alternate jerseys, all bespoke yet united by a common theme. Each design incorporates aspects of the natural visual splendour or iconic geographical features of that particular country.
Inspiration has been taken from some of the world’s most awe-inspiring landscapes with colourful palettes, hazy washes and abstract patterns giving each jersey an arresting and unique look.
With these kits being worn by two of the world’s top-three teams in the FIFA World Ranking — Euro 2022 runners-up Germany and Tokyo Olympic finalists Sweden — and the No. 7-ranked Spain side comprising many players from the all-conquering Barcelona, there is every chance we could be seeing at least one of these gorgeous shirts being worn for the final in Sydney on Aug. 20.
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Argentina
The rugged bands of teal, orange and white wrapped across Argentina’s away shirt are, according to Adidas, a portrayal of the striking mountain landscapes that can be found right across the country, from the pastel-coloured Serrania de Hornocal range in the north to the snowy peaks of Ushuaia, the capital of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago way down in the southernmost extremes.
Colombia
The Cano Cristales River provides the inspiration for Colombia’s exceptional pink-and-purple design. Known as the “River of Five Colours” or the “Liquid Rainbow,” the river is renowned for shifting hues from red to pink to yellow to green to blue at certain times of year and in certain lights due to a tropical aquatic plant that grows along stretches of the riverbed. The shirt reflects the psychedelic appearance of the water using the Colombian national team’s traditional alternate colours of pink, purple and black.
Germany
Germany’s away jersey is directly inspired by the country’s vast verdant woodland, particularly the Zauberwald (Magic Forest) and mountainous Schwarzwald (Black Forest) located in the southern states of Baden-Wurttemberg and Bavaria. The deep green hues and thickets of swirling leafy print hint at the foliage and canopies of the forests that combined cover an area equal to almost one third of Germany’s total land mass.
Japan
A picture of subtle beauty, Japan’s pastel pink and lilac gradient shirt is inspired by the blushing sunrises seen above Mount Fuji — an iconic symbol of the Asian nation, its highest peak, and a sacred site of both Shintoism and Buddhism in Japan.
Spain
Reflecting azure oceans, an idyllic pale blue background is enclosed at the margins by a vivid purple coral graphic that depicts the various reefs found dotted around Spain’s 3,000 miles of coastline — similar to those found off the shores of the World Cup host nations.
Sweden
Sweden’s deep-blue away jersey is a visual homage to the ice caps, fjords and ancient glaciers that can be found across the Scandinavian nation. The country has around 300 glaciers — the largest being Stuorrajekna with an area of around 8 square miles — and the kit is also intended to highlight both the beauty and environment importance of these majestic frozen floes.
