The Netherlands (Away 2012)

Honestly, both away jerseys used by the Netherlands in 2012 and 2013 are more convincing than the home jersey. So, let’s have a look at them and start with the black one used for the first time in the impressive win at Wembley over Engand (I still question the choice of the black jersey there) and less impressively in the (resounding) defeat to Portugal with a flattering scoreline of 1-2 during EURO 2012.

This is not the fist time that Holland is playing in black with some orange accents – they did so in 2002 and 2003. Though, since Holland failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, no one really remembers that one. So, how about this (more memorable?) one? Well, let me start with my wife’s comment upon seeing it on a magazine cover: “This is sssexy! It will look good on you.” While I try to be the (ultimate?) authority on soccer jersey style in this blog, women do know a lot more about good looks than men. So instantly this shirt is bound to receive high marks. It is a very plain back jersey. There is only a short orange stripe down the right shoulder and that is it. The sleeve trims are orange on the inside but that it snot really visible. Crest (in orange) and swoosh (black on the orange stripe) are well placed. The placement of the front number is in a way innovative. Usually, I would have preferred a centered number, but since the number fits (almost) perfectly below the orange shoulder stripe it does not look that out of place. So, I can live with that one quite well.

The back is also all-black with the arched name and number applied in orange. I still don’t like the numbering font and I don’t understand/like the many holes in the orange number. It does however stand out a bit more on this jersey as on the home jersey.

Readers of my blog will have observed that there is a certain similarity between this jersey and one of the 2012-13 Puma designs (see the links to the Austria and Uruguay away shirts below). If the orange stripe would have been on the left, than Nike could have legitimately been accused of being a copy cat. This way, there is only a slight resemblance. I like to have the Netherlands play in white alternate jerseys, but this one really is very good effort by Nike. Just choose a more stylish font for the numbers. 7 years of that one is just enough.

My rating: 9/10 stars.

How do you rate this shirt?

Related articles

• Austria (Away 2012-13) (soccerjerseyworld.wordpress.com)

• Uruguay (Away 2012-13) (soccerjerseyworld.wordpress.com)