New era with Adidas officially begins
Published:Tuesday | February 7, 2023 | 12:50 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
Jamaica football’s new era under sports brand Adidas began yesterday with the launch of the official team jerseys for both the men’s and women’s national teams which, according to designer Grace Wales Bonner, reflect the nature of Jamaica, connecting the Jamaican diaspora worldwide.
The launch was done on social media platforms which featured the kits being modelled by players such as Rebecca Spencer, Drew Spence, Allyson Swaby, Khadija Shaw and Kemar Roofe. The kits range from home and away jerseys, a pre-match jersey and an anthem jacket.
In a release from Adidas yesterday. Bonner described working with Adidas and the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) on a look that would in her eyes fans can be proud of wearing.
“When working with Adidas and the Jamaica Football Federation, we set out to create a range that reflects the diverse nature and soul of today’s Jamaica, authentically connecting with the Jamaican community across the globe,” Bonner said. “As we celebrate the intrinsic relationship between Jamaican culture and football, it’s a collection that I’m hoping players and fans can wear with huge pride – on and off the pitch.”
As described by Adidas, the home jersey has the signature yellow with green vertical stripes which reflect “the energy of the island” and “is accentuated by fine pinstripe details that decorate the shirt, echoing the subtle groove of Jamaican music and style.” The away jersey is all black and “crafted to represent the collective memories of proud Jamaicans.”
The jerseys are also made using 100 per cent recycled materials. JFF president Michael Ricketts said the new kits mark the start of a partnership that they hope is fruitful and believe that the jersey represents Jamaica in the best possible way.
“We believe these designs capture the essence of Jamaica’s culture, as it not only represents Jamaican football but through the mixture of the distinctive Jamaican colours and the designs highlight the greatest part of our world-renowned Jamaican culture,” Ricketts said.
Jamaica replaced Umbro as the official kit sponsor last year with the Adidas partnership taking effect last month. The four-year deal runs up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Jamaica’s first opportunity to debut the new kits will be in at the Cup of Nations tournament which starts on February 16 with the Reggae Girlz facing Australia, Spain and Czech Republic as part of their preparations for this summer’s Women’s World Cup.