It's hard to get too excited about a new outfit when you haven't been invited to the party. Chile may not have qualified for the 2018 World Cup, but their new home and away kits pay tribute to the most successful team in the country's history – a team that have won two major trophies in the past five years.
Whilst Alexis Sanchez and his La Roja pals will be sat on the sofa this summer, the rest of the world will be competing in Russia. Hence why the Nike Chile 2018 home and away shirt launch is a low key one. Still, it's a smart collection that follows the trend of the Nike 2018 World Cup kits.
No prizes for anyone who predicted a red home shirt. Nor blue shorts and socks. It's the away kit that takes on a more interesting design, as with many international shirts as brands use the secondary canvas to showcase their creativity.
The graphic on La Roja’s away jersey was inspired by the Andean condor, Chile’s national bird (a first for the country’s national jersey). “We had a huge opportunity to show Chilean culture to the world with the away kit,” explains Pete Hoppins, Nike Football Apparel Senior Design Director. “The away kit represents a modern Chile, the prowess of their national icon in the condor and the blistering intensity at which football is played in the country."
It's the extra details on the shirts that bring further Chilean identity out. The custom typeface pays homage to Santiago's street signs and car number plates, and a reflective eight-point star pattern provides additional visibility on the number under the floodlights.
The full Nike Chile 2018 Collection drops on April 19.
