Not all soccer kits are made equal, and some soccer kits are more iconic than others. From Brazil’s 1970 kit, which has largely been regarded as a retro classic, to the kit that the Netherlands wore when they won the European Championship for the first time in 1988, many kits have come to be cemented in the history of professional soccer. Still, with new kits being released every season, it’s easy for some of them to fade into obscurity, and kit design has become a veritable competition in its own right.
For the 21-22 season, AS Roma has partnered with New Balance to create a home kit that “fully [respects] AS Roma’s traditions with a classic, unique silhouette.” Using the club’s iconic yellow and red palette, a v-neck collar, ribbon cuff details, and a subtle tonal pin-stripe design, it’s a sleek kit that’s sure to wow fans.
What’s more, the kit has been made with cutting-edge design technology from New Balance, including the innovative NB Dry technology, which promises to keep moisture away to help athletes stay dry while warming up and cooling down. AS Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini said that “The new design was popular with the team from the moment we saw it and we are all looking forward to wearing it.”
This is the first kit New Balance is designing for AS Roma, as the club had previously partnered with Nike. However, New Balance has partnered with several soccer clubs in the past. New Balance were the kit makers for Liverpool FC when they won the 2019 Champions League, and in addition to AS Roma, they are currently partnered with PC Porto, Lille OSC, as well as high-profile athletes such as NBA superstar Kawhi Leonard.
“This spring was one of the most dynamic periods in New Balance Football’s history with the signings of Raheem Sterling, Buyako Saka, Eberechi Eze, Harvey Elliott, and the renewal of Sadio Mané,” says Andrew McGarty, New Balance’s Head of Global Football Sports Marketing. The partnerships are being hailed as a new era for New Balance in soccer as the brand looks to establish solid collaborations with these high-profile soccer stars, widening the brand’s reach as a result.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to know that our hard work is paying off, and the world’s top players are putting their trust in us to deliver boots that are going to enable them to play at the top of their game. With these athletes joining New Balance, we hope to continue to be a force for positive change both on and off the pitch. The future is bright. We will continue to value partnerships over sponsorships to find the right players for the New Balance brand.”
And as well as New Balance’s first foray into Italian soccer, the move to sign an exciting array of English players is a move that makes sense for the brand. “When we sign athletes like Sterling, Saka, Eze, and Elliott, we’re looking for partners in multiple respects: not just partners who will help us evolve our boots, but partners who are eager to cross over into the lifestyle space and support the brand as a whole. Sterling and Elliott, in particular, have an affinity for high fashion, and we’re already collaborating closely with them on a number of projects that will appeal to the masses, not just football fans,” McGarty added.
Italian soccer kits have often been adopted by streetwear and fashion labels, as they are some of the most beautifully designed across the sport. For instance, AC Milan’s 1981-82 home kit has widely been regarded as an effective mix of streetwear and sportswear – one that arguably changed the aesthetics of soccer kits. With this partnership, AS Roma hopes to create distinctive kits that are respectful of traditions but creative and innovative.
What’s more, AS Roma CEO Guido Fienga hopes that this partnership will allow the club to evolve into a lifestyle brand. “We are excited about every aspect of this partnership, and looking forward to working together to explore all possible avenues of this new opportunity,” he said in a public statement.
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