On an evening when Bafana Bafana where given a frankly horrendous draw for the African Cup of Nations to be held in Equatorial Guinea in January (Algeria ranked 1 in Africa, Ghana ranked 5 in Africa and Senegal ranked 8th in Africa), there was some outstanding news as kit manufacturer Nike, along with the South African Football Association unveiled the new kit.
The kit is a classic kit which is designed to encourage the team to push past yesteryear and inspire a new generation with the new Shakes Mashaba Bafana Bafana. And to my pure delight the kits have gone away from white and embraced the national colours of Green and gold. I have written in the past about the importance of national pride and backing our national colours and Nike have delivered with a kit that will surely bring the pride our heritage deserves.
The gold home jersey features a classic flat green collar with a single gold stripe on the inside back of the collar, and has green cuffs on the sleeves. The King Protea, South Africa’s national flower, is emblazoned on the left chest, with the SAFA logo centered below the front of the V-neck. The South African flag rests on the outer back of the neck.
A solid gold stripe runs down the sides of the green shorts. Gold socks with a bold green top cuff complete the home kit.
The away jersey is green, and is paired with gold shorts and green socks that use the same features as the home kit. The jersey and shorts feature a slimmer fit that more tailored to the body, enabling player to perform better without the moisture drag.
South African footballer, Sibusiso Vilakazi says: “The new kit is very light and has a great fit. The simplicity of the design and the use of the green and gold makes this a striking kit and I can’t wait to play in it.”
Fans have responded in a positive manner to it as well.
Bafana Bafana’s new home kit looks really good, all set and ready for the #AFCON2015 #TeamSA
— Melanie Petje (@Hlatse_B) December 3, 2014
Love the new Bafana strip! Well done @nikefootball @Nike @BafanaBafana
— Sandile Ndzekeli (@Sandile_GAM) December 3, 2014
The kit also showcases Nike’s key technological features.
ULTIMATE IN COOLING AND COMFORT
The kits are crafted from dual-knit fabric consisting of both cotton and recycled polyester, helping to regulate player body temperature over the course of a match. Using a combination of Nike Dri-FIT technology, a ‘burnout’ mesh and laser-cut ventilation holes, designers are able to localize cooling where players need it most. The holes and mesh panels further improve performance by increasing air circulation to the players’ bodies and regulating their temperature through the 90 minutes on pitch.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
In line with Nike’s commitment to superior performance with lower environmental impact, the full kit features fabric made from recycled polyester. Each kit represents an average of 18 recycled plastic bottles, with 100 percent recycled polyester in the short and 96 percent recycled polyester in the jersey. Since 2010, Nike has diverted almost two billion bottles from landfills, enough to cover more than 2,800 full-sized football pitches.
PERFECT FIT
Nike designers utilized three-dimensional body scans of elite footballers to collect data on the form of today’s players and identify an updated fit to improve comfort and allow the body to move more naturally within the kit.
NIKE PRO BASELAYER
The new Nike Pro baselayer is the lightest ever from Nike and features increased venting and breathability. The Nike Pro baselayers are designed for the varying temperatures and conditions athletes will encounter when playing at home, on the continent and internationally.
The new Bafana Bafana jersey will be available nationwide from December 11. We say job well done!