AN ODE TO THE BAGGY FOOTBALL SHIRT

Once upon a time, we used to see kits that weren’t like another layer of skin or made of weird materials. This was the time I loved kits the most. Why? Well, playing good football combined with looking cool created a fantastic balance and a baggy football shirt gave us the latter.

Maybe it is just a fashion preference, but for me, the baggy football shirt is a legend of the game and is being forced out of the game for some silly ‘performance’ reason. Kick skin-tight shirts out of the game because they’re ruining the aesthetic.

A skin-tight shirt does nothing. Nothing. For me, a football shirt is more about how it looks not how it performs. Yes, I understand, performance is a massive aspect of the game and we want our professionals to be able to perform to the highest possible standard but the legends of the game, see Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, wore baggy kits and are two of the best ever.

It’s a weird opinion to have, I hear what you’re saying but it’s a relevant one. I don’t think I have bought or worn a more recent kit in a while due to the material and fit. I mainly wear/buy vintage shirts for various reasons; 1. the designs back then were generally better and 2. the fit is more comfortable and the materials used were much better.

Not only is it about me wearing the shirts themselves but it’s the players.  The aesthetic of football has changed. It’s gone downhill. Gone of the days of the 1990’s where we’d see David Ginola in a lovely black and white adidas shirt looking slick or a Milan derby filled with beautiful kits and the gentlemen looking as cool as ever.

I’m not sure you’d agree. Maybe you like the tight shirt revolution, mainly headed by PUMA clubs, but I will not be joining you on this and will forever stand my ground and reminisce about the past shirts. We don’t even have to travel back that far, the early 2000s were a wonderful time for kits also. It’s just so happened, that in recent years everything has gone tight and everything has gone laceless. It’s a new movement and I, for one, am not hopping aboard. Enjoy the journey, au revior.

THIS WEEK IN KITS

With the World Cup hangover in full effect, this week’s excitement from the world of kits may just be what the doctor ordered. With so much going on though, it might be too easy to lose track of all that was this week in kits. Luckily, KTTP is here to provide some clarity on exactly what kits we should prescribe ourselves as well as those we might survive without.

Without further ado, let the recap begin.

JUVENTUS

On top of their mega signing, Juventus held on to the headlines this week with their solid third kit option for the upcoming season. Though adidas is taking a page from Nike this year by essentially using the same template for all third kits, this template is stylish and modern enough for me to get over this fact. Add to it Juventus’ now all too common Scudetto and Coppa Italia badge, as well as Ronaldo’s number 7 and you, might easily have one the best selling jerseys to come out of this summer.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Next in the recap is Manchester United. Though not the best United kit I have ever laid eyes on, I like the fact that adidas designers are at least trying out something new in light of the fairly safe and conservative designs we’ve seen since the adidas takeover. This number pays homage to United’s railway heritage with a clever train track graphic that runs from the bottom to the top of the jersey. The overall design might not be new when it comes to the world of soccer as a whole, but that might just be where the appeal of this jersey is as it offers something new yet still familiar.

BAYERN MUNICH 

From not trying to reinvent the wheel, we move on to a team that is really going in a whole new direction. The new Bayern Munich away kit is what I like to call the mint chocolate chip look. I don’t use this description as a wholly derogatory term as I really do appreciate the color Bayern has brought on. I simply just think this kit is just far too simple and just needs a little something more to be truly icy, fresh, or whatever other word you want to use.

BLACKBURN ROVERS

Championship side Blackburn Rovers has also decided to switch up the color palette. In this case, the team does it for its home kit and the decision proves to be absolutely brilliant. The new touch of sky blue which now stands in place of the typical royal blue offering adds a greater touch of class that complements the club’s badge and retro Umbro diamond sleeves to perfection. This is one kit I call H2T good. Props to anyone who gets that reference.

HULL CITY

As we move on, the English Championship keeps my attention as Hull City is another club doing great things. In contrast to Blackburn, Hull sticks with a familiar away look with this black jersey with orange accents. Surely, it is a simple design, however, that collar and the way this color palette accentuates the club badge is enough for me to be wooed by this kit.

CHELSEA

Speaking of simple, it might not get any more simple than Chelsea’s new away jersey for this season. This, however, is not necessarily a bad thing because as much as I wanted to hate Chelsea’s jersey, I find myself really loving this design. Its definitely just another template look, however, the jersey’s yellow color with hints of blue are just too damn sharp and classic to overlook.

PUMAS

Even though this was a recap rather than a countdown of this week’s kits, I can’t help but end on the highest of notes. For that reason, I end this recap with Mexico’s Pumas who are the only team to lend not one, but two solid kit options. The range demonstrated in these kits is what really wins me over. On one hand, I have the home shirt which is everything I want and expect with that giant Puma logo, and on the other is the away shirt which relegates the Puma to your typical club badge with a classic pinstripe soccer look to go with it.

Though I am not making any decisions for now on which ones to buy, some of the kits I have covered this week have certainly made a compelling argument. Share your thoughts in the comments below on which kits you think will hold up to be some of this summer’s most memorable.

WATCH 5 CREATIVES UNITE UNDER THEIR LOVE FOR SOCCER

Soccer, football, the beautiful game – whatever you want to call it – yet again unites those with a passion towards the sport outside of the game itself. Creators of the Game is an ongoing mini-series presented by Red Bull that sees soccer bringing together five different artists, each with their own unique background and style. Featured in the above episode is LA-based artist Joshua Vides, top U.S. soccer freestyler Indi Cowie, Miami hip-hop artist Twelve’len, street photographer Jenny Abrams, and street artist ABSTRK, all of which share in-depth their own personal stories and experience surrounding the game. Hit play to watch the seven and a half minute-long video, then be sure to keep tabs on the channel for more episodes to come.

The Moment CR7 Knew Juve Was Next

England and Croatia both just had the world stop for over 90 minutes as they duked it out for a place in the World Cup 2018 Finals. Before that, Belgium and France, the third and seventh-ranked teams in the world, squared off in an equally intense semi-final to quite possibly the most exciting World Cup to date. Yet, headlining the world tabloids still was not that Samuel Umtiti header or the World Cup at all, but rather, again on Cristiano Ronaldo. The star Portuguese forward who just won his third consecutive Champions League final with Real Madrid, has personally opted to be traded to an unlikely spot… the Italian champions Juventus.

What may come as a surprise to many, is, in fact, a divorce that has been years in the making. Ronaldo’s decision to leave the club he dreamt of as a child quite simply comes down to his treatment by the man who brought that dream to life: Real Madrid President Florentino Perez. To start, Perez has a reputation for ruthlessly instating his Galacticos policy of bringing world-class talent in every summer transfer period. Amongst the elite footballers, we’ve seen the likes of Luís Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo Lima to Luka Modrić, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo; all of which brought the spotlight and silverware back to the Santiago Bernabéu. However, in doing so, Perez notably has gained a reputation of avoiding defensive-minded talent, budding into in-game managerial decisions and focusing the club’s interests more on its marketing rather than the longevity of its playing success.

In comes Ronaldo, a player who in his nine-year tenure at the club has won fifteen trophies — which include two Copa Del Rey’s, two La Liga titles along with four Champions League titles and four Ballon D’or’s to cement his place at the top of the totem pole. Despite these unbelievable achievements, Ronaldo has felt unappreciated by Los Blancos, apparent in his contract quarrels with Perez and the lack of support he received from the club following his five-match suspension back in the 2017-2018 season.

Perhaps Perez is a genius in allowing Ronaldo, who turns 34 in February, to walk and in doing so receive a healthy return ($100 million and free up $55 million in wages). However, logic leads us to believe otherwise, for the question mark still surround Madrid who many believe isn’t managed properly, and is entirely attack-minded and won much of its Champions League and La Liga success on the heels of Ronaldo’s 450 goals and 138 assists.

So why Juve? Why not Paris-Saint Germain or rather his other home, Old Trafford? I believe the Portuguese international made that decision back in April, upon getting up from one of the greatest bicycle kicks to date against the very club he’s decided to join. Instead of boos and jeers from a group of supporters who’ve seen Real Madrid end their Champions League dreams twice in the past three season, Ronaldo was shocked to witness a round of applause by the Bianconeri faithful. It’s in that moment that he felt the appreciation he’s longed for in the Spanish capital and is what has led him to add black stripes to the iconic white kit he has donned over the years.

Time will be the ultimate decider on whether Perez is indeed a genius by instead reeling in a Harry Kane, Eden Hazard, or Neymar. Or rather, perhaps it’s Ronaldo that takes a page out of Tom Brady’s book and fights back father time by proving he is the G.O.A.T., and in doing so bring Juventus its first Champions League title since 1996.

CLEAR EYE FOR THE MIDFLD X GEOFF GOUVEIA “VISION” COLLAB

In looking back to my first ever interview with Midfld founder Daniel D’Angelo, I now come to realize how much of a visionary in himself Daniel really is. At that time, I asked him essentially what the future of his brand looked like. Despite not providing any specifics in terms of projects or collections, Daniel did say, “I am influenced by many things: the game, music, fashion, skate. So really I see making things that are all over the place. But having the positive message behind the brand always stands.” With a few collections now under his belt, D’Angelo’s words ring truer than ever.

It is only fitting then that vision itself becomes the subject of Midfld’s latest offering. As expected, the term comes with more than one meaning. For the soccer fan, the theme is intended to pay tribute to all the great players who made the game uniquely theirs through their own vision. In typical Midfld fashion, however, the term extends well beyond the pitch. This larger theme of perception beyond ordinary sight takes inspiration from the Buddhist traditions steeped within the brand. In this case, the reference is to the third eye which in Buddhist belief is said to be the gate that leads to inner realms and spaces of higher consciousness. The third eye is also associated with religious visions, clairvoyance, and the ability to observe chakras.

It is in learning about this larger meaning that I understand the theme in a soccer sense more clearly. Looking back at all the visionaries I have been lucky to witness, none stand out more than Ronaldinho. Aside from his incredible playmaking ability, I will remember Ronaldinho more for how in tune he was with himself. His no-look pass is perhaps the most telling of all as it not only captures his innate field vision but also that infectious and unselfish energy which I believe really distinguished those visionary field players more than anything.

Ironically, it may be this same infectious and unselfish energy that now draws artist Geoff Gouveia to Midfld. Perhaps best known for his LAFC mural, Gouveia now lends his talents to the eye graphics that form part of the front and back of Midfld’s two shirt offerings. As abstract representations, Gouveia’s graphics emphasize this theme of vision by forcing you to look past all that is immediately perceptible. In doing so, you appreciate the depth behind his work from the minute details to the unique interrelationship of color.

In saying all this, I think back to a point I only briefly touched upon in other collections from Midfld. At one point or another, I praised Midfld for allowing me to believe that one’s space can also be a space for others. I see this now in this offering more than any other and it gives me great satisfaction to know that with Geoff Gouveia stepping into this space, he too sees what Daniel always saw. At the very least, not all of us may be visionaries like them, however, the philosophy of finding our own space should still leave a lasting impression on all of us as well. There is obviously no better way to start believing in this philosophy than by picking up one of the limited Midfld x Geoff Gouveia shirts at Midfld’s online shop.

KTTP’S NIKE SHOOT: OFF WHITE IN CHICAGO | KIM JONES IN LA

Before we all inevitably move on from the still-relevant, design-orientated Nike soccer collabs with Virgil Abloh and Kim Jones, we wanted to present our own effort at showcasing the two well-crafted collections. We come to you with a two-part fashion editorial where we took both collections onto the streets of two different U.S. cities. For Virgil’s Off White pieces, we decided to hit the hometown of the designer himself, Chicago, for a shoot featuring yours truly (they twisted my arm until I agreed to model for this…) as I gallivant about Wicker Park/Bucktown in an attempt to score myself a much-deserved donut, all captured by Turfmapp founder and photographer Trisikh Sanguanbun.

Our Kim Jones shoot, taken by long-standing HYPEBEAST photographer Aaron Miller, takes place in our own city of Los Angeles, where we bring on ex-pro soccer athlete and personal trainer Shawna Gordon, who joins me on the roofs of DownTown LA chasing after that city-synonymous sunset. Both editorials utilize the soccer-focused pieces under a more casual style sensibility, showing how one can wear – or even pair – the pieces off the pitch. Check out both shoots below.

OFF WHITE X NKE IN CHICAGO | THE DONUT HUNT IN WICKER PARK

KIM JONES X NIKE IN LOS ANGELES | WE COULD NEVER REACH THE MOON ANYWAY

OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE OFFICIALLY TAPS PUMA FOR ITS KITS

France’s long-standing football club Olympique de Marseille, a brand that has 119 years and 32 major trophies under its belt, has recently partnered up with global sportswear giant PUMA and its Football division to provide the club’s worldwide kits. This is course comes as a massive deal for both partners, with one gaining the expertise in sponsorship an design of a well-respected sports brand, and the other the prestige and association with one of Europe’s most iconic clubs. To celebrate its newfound relationship, PUMA Football and Olympique de Marseille have come out with three new 2018/19 kits for the team – home, away, and third – that pull inspiration from the sea, more specifically the power and ferocity that it wields.

The guys revel in the terrible performance from Argentina and highlight Colombia’s wild route to the round of 16. Colombia are coming off a loss, an unexpected win and a narrow 1-0 over Senegal to advance—they will face England on July 3rd. Seb and Drew run down the entire line of teams and debate what could go down in knockout stages. For now, France is bland, Neymar better turn up, and Uruguay could shock everyone.

Ivan Fernandez, or Afroxander, a writer and photographer has worked with GameCrate, Remezcla LA, and LA Weekly. He talks Mexico in the World Cup, their inability to be consistent, and what a win could mean for the Hispanic population in Los Angeles. With Lozano’s goal in the 35th minute over Germany, Mexico could actually see the light and Chicharito begs them to believe. Mexico clearly has the tools, now they need consistency.

One thing we can all get behind is the World Cup’s ability to unite a nation, not under one team, but behind a love for the same sport. Seb said it best, “No matter a language barrier, soccer is a language all its own.” Oh, my heart. Hopefully you all survived doomsday, aka the one day without World Cup action. We certainly can’t wait to see what happens here at Kicks to the Pitch and we will continue to brief you on the action. Personally, I’m hoping we see a lot more of England if you know what I’m sayin’.