Argentina (Home 2019)

Before we tackle the smaller nations at this year’s Copa, there is one less giant that we need to look at first. After all, the last time a (proper) soccer tournament was played in Brazil they reached the final. We are talking of course about Argentina’s albiceleste.

Well, these days it is almost expected that we get a new Argentina (home) shirt ever year. It is also a testament on the crazy amount of tournaments South American teams had to play since (at least) 2013 (for Argentina 2014): Confed Cup 2013, World Cup 2014, Copa America 2015, Copa America Centenario 2016, World Cup 2018, Copa America 2019, Copa America 2020. What can I say it is a marathon. And the cynic in me would argue that having the next Copa in 2020 would allow L. Messi one more realistic chance to finally win a title with the national team and of course another jersey.

Considering all this, we are looking at another “transition” jersey. The last such jersey (for the Copa America in Chile) was a great one that would have deserved to be worn a lot longer. So what about the 2019 version:

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  Argentina 2019 Home Jersey

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  Argentina 2019 Home Jersey with full #7 Kun Aguero customization

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  Back of Home Jersey with 10 Messi customization

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  Women’s version of the 2019 Home Jersey

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  Argentina-Venezuela 1-3 (Madrid, Mar 22, 2019)

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  Japan-Argentina 0-0 (Paris, Jun 10, 2019)

Oh boy! Where should I start? Well, it may not hurt to start with the positive: This jersey is very much identifiable as an Argentina jersey despite all its flaws that I will describe below. So, it at least passes that minimum smell test.

However … this time Adidas went for the minimum amount of stripes on the jersey – the first time they have done so since 2011. Not bad per se, but having white as the base and this super light tone of blue makes this jersey feel a lot more like a plain white jersey rather than a proper Argentina jersey. It is a personal preference, but I do like the blue stripe in the center and think that it would have given this jersey a bit more personality if they had done so (and keep the sleeves as is to continue the stripe theme).

Then, there is the weird soundwave patter of the stripes. I know pixelated accents are the latest trend in Adidas jerseys, but here it does get a bit much – especially up close. And it is in total contrast to the very orderly three shoulder stripes. Those are probably the best feature here as they add a certain elegance to the shirt.

Now, if you thought we had covered all the not so nice to bad, you are right. So, let’s get to the worst: the tertiary color on this jersey is not black, but rather a steely dark blue! I understand somewhat the need to do new things, but this is definitely taking it a few steps too far. Going outside the traditional color palette is never a good idea and this blue tone adds a certain softness to the shirt, that the regular black just does not have! Even worse, the color is carried over to the pants! I would have understood it if they had their 2015 away jersey. Then you could mix and match pants. But the current away jersey is black (and will remain so during the Copa)! It just does not make sense from whatever angle you may look at it. I really hate this choice.

So, let’s finish on a slightly more positive note: the new font. I like its more traditional rounded look, although it gets at times quite close to the 2010 Adidas font that marred some of the best shirts in that tournament. Still, it is a vast improvement over the one used in Russia last year. Note especially how legible the names suddenly are!

Well, I do understand that in order to sell a new shirt (almost) every year, you need to get creative. And towards that end the soundwave pattern is not a bad idea. However, it may have looked better on thinner striping or if the colors were reversed as indicated above. In a way, Argentina’s stripes have seen quite some modifications as of late (i.e. 2014 and 2018). I just find the “loose” forms of these stripes a bit too much in contrast with the (wonderful) shoulder stripes. That the accent color in addition is totally off-kilter doesn’t make things better. To be honest, this is one of the first Argentina kits I have seen in a while – even worse than the last one!

My rating: 3/10 stars.

How would you rate this shirt?

Manchester City (Home 2013/14)

Time to get back to reviewing jerseys and what better to look at the jerseys of the upcoming Champions League fixtures. The star fixture is surely Manchester City vs. FC Barcelona. So, let’s go to the Midlands.

After a well publicized switch to Nike, we also see a return to a more standard color scheme. The jersey itself is rather unspectacular – which is not that bad. Light blue is the main color of the shirt with a white round collar and sleeve trims. These are accented with thin navy blue stripes. On the shirt itself dark blue reigns as the color of choice for swoosh and sponsor. Given the light blue nature of the jersey this seems appropriate. I also like the crest placed on the French shield very much.

The back is similarly plain and rather unexciting. Again, this is not that bad and gives the jersey a more classic feel. Names and numbers are also applied in navy but this time with a white outline, making it look interesting and complementing the collar and sleeve trims. However, this look is only for the Premier League. In the Champions League, City has used a serif navy font without outline. While it could be bolder it actually has a very good look – definitely better than Arsenal and United.

Overall, I think this is a very nice debut for Nike as supplier of the Citizens. It may look a bit more ordinary than last year’s jersey, but then the re-inclusion of white as secondary color on the jersey makes up for that. Overall, it is very good effort.

My rating: 8/10 stars.

How do you rate this shirt?