Spain head to Russia in the summer of 2018 in search of their second World Cup title and they have released an all new kit for the occasion.
Their kit manufacturers Adidas have delved into the past in search of inspiration for their latest line of national team kits and La Roja‘s newest offering is a testimony to that.
With the tournament around four months away, Goal takes a look at what Julen Lopetegui’s men will be wearing when they take to the field.
What does Spain’s World Cup 2018 kit look like?
In a dramatic departure from their previous home kit, Spain’s new edition features a geometric pattern which runs vertically down the right side of the front of the jersey.
The colours in the pattern are yellow, blue and red, which blends into the base red of the rest of the shirt.
While the previous home jersey featured Adidas’ famous three stripes on either side of the torso, they have migrated to the shoulders of the new shirt.
The collar, meanwhile, seems to have remained the same, but the Adidas logo has been shifted into the centre, perhaps to highlight the design pattern on the right.
How much does the new Spain jersey cost?
An authentic Spain home jersey will cost you £99.95 in the UK, while a replica version will be somewhat cheaper at £69.95. Both items can be bought online.
In the US, a replica Spain home jersey will set buyers back $90, while an authentic one will cost $130, and they are both available to buy from Adidas’ online store.
What is the inspiration?
Adidas have sought inspiration from iconic kits of the past in their most recent design efforts and in Spain’s case, they have produced a modern take on the kit worn at the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
Both the Spanish home and away kits in that tournament featured a prominent design on the right side which was made up of rows of different coloured diamonds. The colours used in the ’94 home kit were yellow, red and navy blue, while the navy blue did not feature in the white away jersey.
Unlike the modern interpretation, the classic jersey incoportated a polo-neck style collar, which was navy blue with slim streaks of red and yellow. However, like the modern version, the Adidas logo was placed in the centre of the chest.
Why is the Spain World Cup 2018 controversial?
Interestingly, the new Spain home kit for the World Cup has proved somewhat controversial to the point where both Adidas and the Spanish football authority (RFEF) have been compelled to make statements in order to quell anger.
The combination of red, yellow and blue in the pattern on the right of the jersey has been seized upon by some as deliberately provocative due to the fact that they appear to resemble the colours of the Second Spanish Republic, which is still popularly used by separatist groups.
Of course, the flag of the Second Spanish Republic is red, yellow and purple. So the confusion has arisen over whether the colour on the shirt is blue or purple.
Adidas and the RFEF insist that the shirt design is “free of any political connotation” but that has not prevented people from having their say and some fans were particularly upset.
Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that “politics is creeping into soccer once again” and a number of politicians waded into the controversy. Alberto Garzon, leader of the United Left (IU), said that he preferred the tricolour to simple red and yellow, while Pablo Iglesias of Podemos also expressed his approval.
The political climate in Spain at present is particularly tense following the Catalonian government’s decision to press ahead with a contentious independence referendum last October and their subsequent attempts to establish independence from Spanish rule. That may explain the sensitivity.
What about the Spain away kit?
The Spain away kit for the 2018 World Cup has not yet been released, but it is expected to be launched some time in the Spring of 2018.
Spain wore an all-white away kit in the qualification stage, with three red Adidas stripes on the sides and red logos on the chest.
It remains unclear whether the away jersey will be similarly inspired by the 1994 World Cup style.
It is possible that they will make a change from white and in the past they have gone with a variety of colours, including light blue, blue, dark blue, gold and even black.
Either way, both Adidas and the RFEF will be hopeful that it attracts less controversy than its home variant.