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Strategy November 29, 2018

Adidas Designs Uniforms Top Pro Soccer Teams Will Only Wear In A Video Game

Still, fans will be able to buy actual physical versions of the kits for Manchester United, Juventus, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich – and there’s some trend-spotting to be had for promo products pros.

By  Christopher Ruvo

Professional soccer players will don these jerseys strictly on a digital pitch, but fans can buy them for wear in the real world.

See, Adidas has just released a range of limited edition uniforms for four of the biggest soccer clubs in the world, with the catch being the flashy wearables will only be sported by digital versions of the sides in the video game FIFA 19. Created in collaboration with game-maker EA Sports, physical versions of the kits are, however, available for fans to buy from Adidas. Clubs getting digisphere jerseys are England’s Manchester United, Germany’s Bayern Munich, Spain’s Real Madrid and Italy’s Juventus.

And as for the designs? Well, “bold” would be an appropriately neutral term. Judge for yourself:

Neo-ravers, next-gen hippies, and lovers of black lights in general will probably dig the dark galaxy design on Real Madrid’s kit. Photo from Adidas/EA Sports.

No, the graphics on these Bayern Munich tops are not the cover of a sci-fi paperback about exploding suns or the colonization of Mars, but heck, they could be. Photo from Adidas/EA Sports.

“Whoa, far out man…” is probably not what Juventus players said when they saw these kits. Still, we’re guessing it is the phrase used by at least one of their U.S. fans who resides in a state where recreational cannabis is legal. Party on. Photo from Adidas/EA Sports.

We saved, perhaps, the best for last. Manchester United’s Ecto-green and leopard print uniforms are a 21st Century mash-up of a 1960s/1970s swinger aesthetic that simply can’t be ignored – no matter how hard you might try. Photo from Adidas/EA Sports.

So, we’re taking the mickey a bit in our descriptions, but it’s all in good fun. We actually like the designs. Of course, we’re not young enough or stylish enough to pull off wearing them with a straight face. But among the youthful demos Adidas/EA Sports is targeting, there is likely to be ample fans.

For promotional products distributors, the uniforms signal a growing boldness in design that has been showing up in professional team uniforms – something we’ve covered before. While we don’t think most end-clients who buy uniforms will want something so “vava-va-voomish” yet, it’s good to be aware that demand for non-traditional, adventurous graphics/treatments could grow. Also, the digital tie-in with the apparel could be something distributors working with clients in the gaming, entertainment, sports and technology industries could use as inspiration.