For the first time ever England’s football kit will be made by Nike, ending the association England have had with Umbro.
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Umbro have been the makers of the outfield football kits and goalkeepers kits for the best part of the last 60 years. Except for a nine year gap between 1974 and 1983 when the kits were made by Admiral, England have sported the Umbro logo on their football training equipment, tracksuits and even been given Umbro football boots.
Umbro even had the honour of stitching Englands star on their kit after they won their World Cup winners football medals along with the Jules Rimet in 1966, one of the football trophies that is not in service anymore after being replaced by the more well known world cup trophy used today.
Nike purchased Umbro in 2007 and Umbro retained the contract until Nike decided to sell Umbro this year, prompting the FA to transfer the contract to Nike before Umbro was sold. The contract will run until 2018 and the new kit will appear next year, one year after the current one with the red detail. That kit itself replaced England’s Euro 2012 kit which was worn for only eight games.
The kit could be unveiled for England’s game against Scotland on 14 August 2013 to mark the 150th Anniversary of the Football Association. England vs Scotland is one of the oldest games in international football, with the first encounter dating back to 1872, when footballs and football kits were not made by big brands or followed by thousands.
The Football Association have said that the new deal will create a substantial investment which will affect football at all levels.
Maybe the end of an old tradition could usurp another tradition – being knocked out on penalties.
