Football being a religion in certain nations is common knowledge, but the sentiment really is exemplified by the Brazilians. The South American nation houses millions of football fanatics, from favelas to towering urban heights, no matter the walk of life, everyone’s obsessed with the game.
Their passion is perfectly showcased whenever the Paulista Derby comes around.
Contested between age-old rivals Corinthians and Palmeiras, the Derby is infamous for being incredibly violent and heated. The two fan bases have always been locked in an endless game of one-upmanship, and while the competition has been tight, Corinthians managed to steer ahead due to an achievement dating back to 2012.
The FIFA Club World Cup may be a hassle for European clubs, who then lament about travelling to a different continent. But for Brazilian sides, it is quite literally, the World Cup.
FIFA’s annual club honour is highly coveted by Brazilian teams, even more so than the Copa Libertadores.
So when Corinthians lifted the title in 2012 by beating Chelsea, it became a truly historic moment for the fans. This year brings about the 10th anniversary of their triumph, and alongside sponsor Nike, the club look all set to celebrate the occasion with a special third kit.
As seen in these images, Nike has opted to create a throwback to that fateful night in Japan through a pattern featuring a Japanese script which runs all across the front and sleeves.
The script translates to ‘This is Corinthians’, and the insane neck also includes the Japanese flag for good measure. Sponsor logos go all black to compliment the white base, the inside back also appears to be black.
It’s certainly peculiar to see a Brazilian club’s kit carry such heavy Japanese influence, but perhaps it’s befitting of the occasion.
The script running all across the shirt may take some getting used to, and for some, it may just be an outright eyesore.
But for the faithful fans, who showed up in droves to the Nissan Stadium, who sold off personal possessions just to mark their attendance. For them, it’ll be a collector’s item they’ll treasure forever.