Nike have given the Air Max 95 an eye-catching makeover, painting it in multi-coloured tiger stripes that pay homage to South Korea. The design provides extends the football collection into footwear and accompanies the resounding release of the Taeguk Warriors’ new football kits.

Following in the footsteps of Nigeria’s hugely successful 2018 kit and apparel collection, Nike have offered up some similar treatment this year, combining art and football for another drop of colossal creativity for a few new teams, with South Korea being one among them. Their new football kits and wider capsule collection, feature wild designs, with the away kit and team shirt in particular making a bold statement on and off the pitch with a striking white tiger print on the jersey and socks. All of the stripes in the print were originally hand-painted by Nike’s design team. A sacred creature believed to be a guardian animal in Korean mythology, the white tiger symbolises courage and power. And it’s this design that has been used on the latest look for the Air Max 95.

Nike have already announced that the South Korea kits will be accompanied by an extended collection, which will include unique items, such as overalls and sunglasses, as well as significantly more women’s apparel than previous years. And the design of the Air Max 95 CTRY “Korea” gives a strong hint of what we’re in for. And if it’s anything to go by, then there’s just cause to be feeling rather excited by the prospect of the full collection.

The silhouette arrives covered in tiger stripes of “Royal Tint,” “Racer Pink” and black against a clean white upper, with black mesh making its way around the throat and the toebox, while cutouts underfoot make one last eye-catching statement. To ensure there is no mistaking this shoe’s link to the upcoming footballing collection the insole is stamped with the word “KOREA” alongside the South Korea national football crest – a new addition on the kit for 2020.

The Nike Air Max 95 CTRY “Korea” will be available from 8 April on prodirectsoccer.com