Credit: ESPN
With the start of the UEFA Women’s European Championship six weeks away, Nike has unveiled kits for several of the top nations competing at the tournament.
Stars from hosts England, France and defending champions Netherlands have all been given new jerseys to wear when the action kicks off on July 6, and they’ll be hoping to still be involved when the final takes place on July 31 at Wembley.
With 31 matches across 10 stadiums, Euro 2022 has already attracted enormous numbers of fans with pre-order tickets comfortably outselling the previous record (240,000 tickets) set at Euro 2017. And the players will be stepping out in front of those record crowds in some great kits.
England
The Lionesses will be decked out in all-white as they seek to do their nation proud on home soil this summer in a home kit that features a subtle knit pattern inspired by the geometric lines of fresh-cut diamonds. While otherwise clean and minimalistic, the shirt is accentuated by shimmering pops of pearlescent trim that, according to Nike, serve as a nod to all the “shining lights” who have served to advance the cause of women’s football over the years. The inner collar also carries the inscription, “Send her victorious” — an apt line selected from the national anthem that will be sung with gusto by the team before every match.
The away kit is a vibrant design that strays from England’s traditional red and into the realms of Nike describes as crimson, although you’d be forgiven for describing it as a shade of orange. The trim is dark red and boasts a similar glossy feel to that used on the home kit.
France
The France home shirt for Euro 2022 is a bright, royal-blue base which is furnished all over in an ornate floral pattern inspired by neoclassical Gallic art. The famous tricolor of the national flag is completed by the red-and-white trim.
Les Bleues can switch to play in a white uniform that continues the neoclassical theme thanks to the flock pattern found on the pink strips that run along the seams of the shirt. The badges and crest are resplendent in metallic rose gold, while the French flag can also be spotted on the sleeve cuff in the form of a small cloth tab.
Netherlands
No prizes for guessing that the Dutch home kit is an all-Oranje outfit, though the traditional national colours have been given a contemporary edge with an ultra-clean design.
The white, blue and red away kit is a little busier by virtue of a blocky, abstract aesthetic inspired by the De Stijl art movement of the early 20th century.