In breaking down boundaries, Hummel present the new Afghanistan football shirt. Fitted with Hijab, there's no better time to celebrate International Women's Day than with this crafted symbol of unity.
Overcoming the decades in which playing football for girls and women in Afghanistan has been a struggle, Hummel have delivered an fresh national team shirt that is multi-layered in design as much as the sentiment. Equipped with a hijab as part of the intricate base layer, this is a shirt that is woven with performance at it's core and with the aim of defying the odds, allowing the women of Afghanistan to compete on equal footing. It's a piece of engineering that is well worthy of celebration.
Not short of courage, playing football for their national team is something the women of the country have done in the face of adversity. This shirt is a symbol of that as well as a demonstration of the power that football holds in uniting human spirit for good. Hummel, the facilitator in bringing this almighty project of good will to the fore, are on an ongoing mission to 'change the world through sport'. Admirable in their approach, not only have they delivered something truly symbolic but the shirts, both home and away, are utterly beautiful.
By bringing former national women’s team captain, Khalida Popal, in on the design process the brand were able to weave genuine story into the seams of the kit. On the release of the shirt, the message from Popal is defiant, “For a country like Afghanistan, wearing the national uniform, is a kind of power, a tool to give self-confidence for a woman. That makes you feel powerful. Football gave me an identity. I’m the person football made me. It hurts when I’m not in my country. But I’m happy, I’m still doing my job, and I didn’t give up. And that’s important. Nobody should give up on their dreams. If they feel inside what they are doing is right, just go for it and never give up.”
The striking red home shirt accompanied by the ultra strong white away are both embelished with finer detail. The hijab is naturally a talking point but it shouldn't be at the expense of the glory that covers the shirt. From the patterns that sit proudly across the cuffs to the embossed lion that is etched across the front and back, it's a beautiful release that holds such high tactile value. Owner of Hummel, Christian Stadil explains more in this video.
Hummel is a brand that has the ability to consistently deliver difference. A character of well balanced values, inspiring fresh thinking their commitment to supporting those of like minded appreciation this is another admirable addition. No PR stunt, simply a mission to drive positive change through sport, we're on board with that. What's more, for every shirt sold, Hummel donates 15 Euros to the Afghanistan Women's National Team.
You can pick up one of the shirts here.
