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Some amazing kits missed the limelight in Qatar
There’s no doubt that the 2022 World Cup included some of the best kits in international football. Argentina’s flames, Japan’s origami cranes and England’s vintage-inspired away shirt were all worthy participants at the tournament, but sadly not all of the immaculately and innovatively-designed kits made it to the World Cup. From 2018’s breakout stars to a fallen giant, these are the best international kits we didn’t see in Qatar.
Cast your minds back to the last World Cup, and Nigeria’s home shirt was the breakout star of the tournament. This time around, they were unlucky not to qualify (they were knocked out by Ghana on away goals) but still delivered the goods in terms of kit. Sticking to the team’s traditional green colour, Nike and Nigeria added a hand-drawn graphic across the entire shirt. Right in the middle is a flying eagle, a nod to the team’s Super Eagle nickname.
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Egypt’s failure to qualify for the World Cup meant heartbreak for Mo Salah, while also depriving fans of another strong kit. This one is relatively simple, although the thin black pinstripes help to elevate the all red shirt. Finishing off the design is a thin black and white trim around each sleeve and collar. Although the less said about this 2022 away shirt the better.
Undoubtedly the biggest team not to be in Qatar, Italy still decided to honour their four World Cup wins this year. They opted for a quartered approach, with two different shades of blue complemented by gold detailing and a Tricolore trim. It was also the last kit in Italy’s long running deal with PUMA, with adidas having already confirmed a sponsorship deal set to begin in January 2023.
Sweden’s away shirt might appear to be playing things safe, but it's all in the details. The shirt’s base is plain white – something Sweden haven’t done since the early aughts – but it’s finished with blue and yellow detailing that creates a link both to the national flag and to the 2022 home shirt. This stripe runs around the collar and each sleeve, while also taking over the adidas Three Stripes on each shoulder, giving the shirt a coherent and sophisticated aesthetic.