RECENT RELEASES
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NIKE BRAZIL HOME AND AWAY KIT 2012-13
Nike Football’s new Brasil uniform for 2012-2013 celebrates Jeitinho Brasileiro (“The Brasilian Way”) – the spirit that encompasses the resilience, creativity and relentlessly positive and innovative approach that has helped make the Brasil National Team the most successful in the history of football.
The Brasilian home jersey, affectionately known as Amarelinha (“Little Yellow One”), has become a revered national symbol that represents both the hopes of the Brasilian people and their vibrant and diverse culture.
In line with Nike’s commitment to superior athletic performance and lower environmental impact, the fabric of the new shorts is made with 100% recycled polyester, while the fabric of the jerseys is made with at least 96% recycled polyester. Kits are made using an average of 13 recycled plastic bottles.
The new kit marks a return to tradition with a classic, authentic design that recognizes the country’s glorious football history. The shirt boasts a clean yellow body and a classic V-neck collar with a thin green trim. The shirt also features deep green cuffs, which can be turned over to reveal the rallying cry of Nascido Para Jogar Futebol (“Born to Play Football”) written in the style of Pichacao, a distinctive form of urban graffiti.
Printed on the inside of the back of the neck is a graphic by Brasilian artist Don Torelly. The graphic depicts an outline of the Brasilian federation’s crest containing the Southern Cross, a constellation of stars that was seen over Rio de Janeiro when the Brasilian republic was founded in 1889.
The design of the bold green numbers on the shirts is inspired by the numbers on Brasil’s national bank notes.
The new home shorts are a traditional blue color with a thick white stripe along the side.The new home socks, now with improved cushioning for greater comfort, movement and protection, are white with a green band at the top. A band of diamonds wraps around the center, echoing the tattoos of indigenous warriors.
The new kits are Nike Football’s lightest ever — up to 23 percent lighter than the previous versions. Nike Dri-FIT technology is incorporated throughout the kits, which helps regulate players’ temperatures on pitch by removing sweat from the body to keep them dry and cool. Laser-cut ventilation on the shirts delivers localized cooling where athletes need it most.
Thanks to a new double-knit structure and yarns, the kits are 20 percent stronger than previous versions, without compromising on fit and feel. A small amount of natural cotton has been added for comfort.
Brasil 2012 Away Kit
The new away kit contains the same distinctive features as the home kit, but is entirely in varsity royal blue with yellow trim. The shorts are blue, and for the first time feature a thick yellow stripe along each side. The socks are blue with a tonal band of diamonds around the center.
Brasil Training and Lifestyle Collection
Nike has also launched an integrated training and lifestyle collection to complement the new uniform and enable players and fans to show their pride on and off the pitch.
For training, players will benefit from an innovative range of apparel designed to keep them comfortable in a variety of conditions. In hot weather they’ll keep cool in a short-sleeve training top with ventilation panels. When the temperature drops they’ll warm up in a mid-layer training top that protects against wind chill. In rainy conditions, players can add a windproof and waterproof long-sleeve performance shell top.
Brasilian fans will also be able to express their pride and honor their team’s culture with the launch of a new range of hoodies, tracksuit tops, T-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, jackets and rugby tops. The range comes in Brasil’s iconic colors, features the Brasilian crest and other symbols, and boasts premium fabrics and elevated design.
ADIDAS UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINALE MUNICH BALL
The UEFA Champions League will kick-off once again when the round of Last 16 begins on February 14th. Ahead of the knock-out stage Adidas have unveiled the new ball design for the final set to be held in Munich, Germany.
In a change from previous season the new Finale Munich ball will be used throughout the knock-out stage and not just on just on the 19th May 2012 at the Allianz Arena. The iconic Champions League star motif stands out beautifully with this White/Slime/Cyan/Indigo colourway unique design elements.
The adidas Finale Munich 12 ball has received the highest FIFA rating for weight, water uptake, shape and size retention. The PSC texture, an advancement from the ‘pimple’ design, aids power, swerve and control in all weather conditions.
Star shaped panels are joined by revolutionary thermal bonding technology for perfect aerodynamics. Negating the need for seams and stitching benefits the ball prolonging the life and giving it a more predictable trajectory, better touch and lower water uptake.
MIDWEEK BOOT SPOTTING 31-1 FEBRUARY
Having switched their focus to the FA Cup over the weekend, Premier League teams were quickly back in action midweek. Along with some great spots on seasoned Premier League players we got to see some of the footwear being used by a few of the new January arrivals.
Having scored on debut for Liverpool and Sunderland, French striker Djibril Cisse made a great start to his third spell in English football when he scored QPR’s opening goal against Aston Villa. Cisse arrived from Italian side Lazio and wore a pair of Blue/White/Slime second generation Adidas AdiZero boots.
Although he has been at the club for a few seasons Frazier Campbell’s return from injury will feel like a new signing for Black Cats boss Mark Hughes. Campbell made his second appearance of the year and first in the Premier League wearing Adidas AdiZero MiCoach boots and opening scoring with a brilliant volley.
Cameron Lancaster is another player isn’t quite a new signing. The Spurs youngest was promoted into the first team for their game against Wigan after Defoe was ruled out, Pavlyuchenko was sold and Louis Saha yet to arrive. Lancaster came off the bench for Adebayor wearing White/Blue/Electricity Adidas AdiPower boots.
We got a first glimpse at Umbro’s new White/Black/Nectarine Speciali 3 boots a few days ago and now Swansea’s Danny Graham has introduces us to the alternate Black/White/Blue launch colourway.
We featured Chelsea’s Daniel Sturridge only a few days ago after the England forward was spotted having changed out of his Nike T90 Laser IV boots into Adidas AdiZero Micoach boots. Sturridge was however back in T90s midweek as Chelsea faced Swansea.
Emmanuel Frimpong has made a few appearances for Wolves already having arrived on loan from Arsenal. The Ghanaian midfielder has impressed in his short time at the Molineux wearing Puma PowerCat 1.12 boots and Mick McCarthy will hope he can help steer Wolves away from the relegation zone.
Jermaine Pennant has struggled for game time this season and wouldn’t have helped his cause to much after costing his side a penalty against Manchester United. The former Liverpool winger has been a boot spot favourite for awhile and gets to feature once again after he wore David Beckham’s Blue/White/Electricity Adidas AdiPower Predator boots.
Morten Gamst Perderson also has his own colourway after the Blackburn Rovers winger had a bespoke pair of White/Blue AdiPower Predators made for himself which he has been in for a few games.
There was much speculation surrounding Peter Odemwingie this transfer window. In the end the Nigerian striker has remained with West Bromwich Albion. Odemwingie has been a Nike Superfly wearer for the most part but started in a pair of Tiempo Legend IV boots. However he was quickly back in a pair of Superfly III boots for the second half.
Many thought Sergio Aguero gave Puma’s new Blue/White/Lime V1.11 colourway their onfield debut however it was Steven Pienaar. The new colourway seems to be an immediate hit with boots fans and is the first colourway Aguero has worn since signing with Puma and wearing their Green/Navy V1.11 colourway.
PUMA BAFANA BAFANA AWAY KIT AND ANTHEM JACKET
Despite not being at Afcon, Bafana Bafana fans have reason to get excited this month. PUMA, the official sponsor of Bafana Bafana, will stock selected stores with the national teams new fan wear merchandise on 15 February. Fans can buy the South Africa Away Shirt for R599 and the South Africa Anthem Jacket for R999, and can also purchase a range of other fan wear from selected retailers.
The new kits are designed to maximise player’s performance. The jersey fits the body closely to avoid grabbing from the opponent and to enable players to exhibit their physical presence on the pitch. The fabric features PUMA’s U.S.P Moisture Management technology, which enhances airflow and body performance by dragging moisture away from the body and keeps the body at the ultimate performance temperature.
PUMA MAKE FEBRUARY THIERRY HENRY MONTH
February is Thierry Henry month on puma.com, with a series of video interviews that provide an exclusive look into his world.
Throughout the month of February, www.puma.com/football is digging deep into the French international’s mind, to get some answers to the questions that so many fans are eager to hear. Every weekday on www.puma.com/football, video interviews will explore what really makes the French legend tick, how it feels to return to the London club where he made his name as a world class footballer and why he is so adverse to Tomato Ketchup!
Different interviews will run each day from the 1st February and continue throughout the month. Check www.puma.com/football for your daily dose of Thierry Henry.
PUMA V1.11 SL – DRESDEN BLUE/WHITE/LIME PUNCH
Along with the standard synthetic and K leather versions, Puma have released the V1.11 SL in their striking new Dresden Blue/Lime/White colourway.
Few pros wear the V1.11 SL despite being one of the lightest boots on the market. A super-soft and ultra-thin microfiber synthetic upper features unique padded zones for improved ball contact. The V1.11SL’s redesigned upper provides great comfort and ball feel as well more protection than the V1.10 SL.
The unique outsole’s stability, durability and support is enhanced by the revolutionary engineered Thermoplastic outsole. The Pebax material offers outstanding mechanical, physical and chemical properties, by bridging the gap between thermoplastics and rubbers. Carbon fibre in the outsole adds mid-foot stability while the external heel counter is shaped and bonded to the upper adds strength and stability.
The new Dresden Blue/Lime/White colourway Puma V1.11 SL is now available for order however will not be available in South Africa.
PUMA POWERCAT 1.12 – BLACK/SHADOW/WHITE/LIME
PUMA has launched the new Black/Shadow/White/Lime colourway of the PowerCat 1.12, a performance boot featuring the most advanced PUMA technologies. The new PowerCat 1.12 colourway was worn by Michael Carrick and Tomas Rosicky over the weekend and will be worn by fellow PUMA stars including Cesc Fabregas, Phil Jones and Nigel de Jong.
Designed for power players, the boot is a perfect combination of engineering and comfort, giving players the confidence to perform on pitch. The PowerCat 1.12 features the new PUMA 3D DUO Power Shooting Technology, applied to the kicking area on the inside of the boot.
Made from an innovative thermoplastic material with two different degrees of hardness, the newly created PUMA 3D PST DUO technology enables improved grip on the ball through its exposed elements, and instead of absorbing the energy it increases the kicking power of the player. The kicking area employs a soft K-Leather while the lightweight microfiber material in the lateral quarter supports the midfoot and helps to keep the weight of the boot to a minimum.
The PUMA PowerLast, an evolution of the PUMA AptoLast, follows the foot’s natural contours, providing a glove like fit allowing the upper to mould to players fit. Coupled with the stable yet flexible outsole, the PowerCat 1.12 gives the best possible comfort. Optimal support, stability and protection are provided by the asymmetrical external TPU-injected heel counter.
The new Black/Shadow/White/Lime PowerCat 1.12 boots will retail for R1 999 in South Africa and will be in stores from February 2012.
FA CUP BOOT SPOTTING 28-29 JANUARY
The Premier League was on fold this weekend as the oldest federation cup competition in the world took centre stage. The FA Cup always produces some magical football as well as some great boot spots. Check out the best from this weekend’s 4th Round.
Easily the biggest game of the 4th Round was Manchester United’s trip to Anfield. United’s stand out performer over the past few weeks has been Michael Carrick (behind Welbeck), who gave the new Black/White/Lime Puma PowerCat 1.12 colourway their English debut.
Steven Pienaar gave us a glimpse of Puma’s new Dresden Blue/White/Lime V1.11 colourway last weekend against City when he gave them a short debut after coming off the bench. He came off the bench once again this weekend to help his side overcome Watford.
Stoke City forward Jon Walters has been through a variety of boots this season. Walters looked to have pledging his allegiance to Puma after wearing the PowerCat 1.12 but switched to Adidas AdiPower Predator recently. This weekend Walters was in Nike’s Stoke Kit complimenting White/Red Tiempo Legend IV boots.
We have been waiting for Adidas’ new AdiPure 11Pro to really arrive in the English football. Gareth Barry has worn the Black/White/Slime colourway a few times but we got our first glimpse of the White/Black/Energy colourway this weekend thanks to Bolton’s Mark Davies.
Another boot we have been looking forward to seeing is the Umbro Speciali 3. One of Umbro’s main men, Chelsea’s John Terry, is still wearing Speciali R boots but QPR’s Tommy Smith gave the new Speciali 3 its debut against the London club.
While on the subject of debuts, Darren Bent gave his brand new limited edition bespoke Yellow/Purple Umbro Speciali R boots a scoring debut against Arsenal on Sunday night. Having asked Umbro for a brighter pair of boots he was handing this Yellow/Purple colourway which unfortunately will not be available to the public.
We love bespoke boots here at TRW and we certainly appreciate Jermiane Beckford’s work. The Leicester City forward has matched a pair of custom Blue/Black Adidas AdiZero boots perfectly to his Leicester kit.
A boot that has popped up often, despite having no official on field support, is Adidas’ Leather White/White/Warning AdiZero which has been worn by a few Premier League players and this weekend by Crawley Town’s Tyrone Barnett (left).
Adidas often release boots that will have no official on field support yet they always find their way onto pitches. We aren’t surprised the AdiPure IV SL, worn this weekend by Beckford’s Leicester teammate Lloyd Dyer, has been spotted a few times. We wonder how long it will be before we see the AdiPure 11Pro SL on pitches.
Arguably the boot spot of the weekend was Chelsea forward Daniel Sturridge. Sturridge has been in Nike T90 Laser IV boots for most of the season but surprised us all on Saturday when he walked out against QPR wearing Adidas’ High Energy/White/Electricity AdiZero MiCoach boots.
Elsewhere in the world Cristiano Ronaldo surprised everyone by switching out of his CR7 Nike Superfly III boots and donning their White/Blue/Volt colourway which was released as an alternate colourway to the popular Purple/Silver Superfly III colourway. It’s not a surprise that Ronnie has taken a liking to this White colourway as the real Madrid man was one of the first to wear the popular Windchill Superfly II colourway. As was the case with his CR7 colourway we believe that these are actually the upcoming Mercurial Vapor VIII boots disguised as Superfly IIIs.
PUMA KING FINALE SL – WHITE/NAVY/TEAM ORANGE
Having already made their on field debut, Puma have now officially unveiled the King Finale SL. Described by Thierry Henry as the best boots he’s ever worn, the new King Finale SL have created a massive amount of hype and first impressions seem to imply they will deliver.
Weighing 225g the King SL is not the lightest leather boot (compared to the AdiPure 11Pro) on the market however do beat out the likes of Nike’s Tiempo IV Elite. The SL is based on the King Finale but features a thin premium K-Leather upper which is very lightweight and shapes perfectly to the foot for the same glove-like fit and ball feel you’d expect from the King Finale.
The heel counter has been stripped to reduce weight while the TPU injected outsole from the King Finale remains. The iconic fold over tongue has bee redesigned and the form-stripe is now an integrated feature of the light K-Leather upper instead of being another overlay of stitched material.
Thierry Henry and fellow Gunner Mikel Arteta have already worn the new Puma King Finale SL in this launch White/Navy/Team Orange colourway which is available now to order.