Led by a young crop of incredible talent, the USMNT have made it to the World Cup. With all eyes pinned on Qatar come December, the Americans will have an excellent opportunity to announce themselves as a footballing force.
Fans will certainly hope that the players can, at least, register a few memorable moments during their endeavour.
And there’s no better way to get the buzz going than to grab attention via an eye-catching kit, made especially for the big occasion.
Unfortunately, fans were let down in this case, as Nike seem all set to release perhaps the blandest kits we’ll see during the World Cup.
Rudimentary stripes have been paired with mundane shades for both kits, resulting in an extremely uninspired look. When there are suggestions of being ‘out sauced by the English’, then you know something went wrong.
Fans quickly voiced their displeasure with the designs and demands soon flooded in. A popular one amongst these requested for an old USMNT look to make a triumphant return.
Used during the 2012 season, it captured the American flag’s essence perfectly and provided a clear identity in terms of the look. This aspect has been missing in its successors, a perfect example being Nike’s latest offering which is essentially stripes over a single shade.
Dubbed the ‘Waldo kit’, it shares a striking resemblance to the titular character of the beloved children’s puzzles. An icy white base, red hoops running all across it along with a navy collar, now that’s as ‘Murica’ as it gets.
While it’s too late for it to be used in Qatar, these demands from fans certainly give plenty for Nike to consider. A modern refresh of the ‘Waldo’ would certainly be loved by fans.