UNITED KINGDOM: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Countries reveal their strip for South Africa's World Cup finals
Record ID:
643773
UNITED KINGDOM: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Countries reveal their strip for South Africa's World Cup finals
- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Countries reveal their strip for South Africa's World Cup finals
- Date: 1st March 2010
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FEBRUARY 25, 2010) (REUTERS) ( ** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ** ) ALEXANDRE PATO ON STAGE IN BRAZIL HOME STRIP BRAZIL AND NETHERLANDS JOINED BY PORTUGAL CLOSE-UP OF NANI IN PORTUGAL STRIP CLOSE-UP OF EDSON BRADFEELD WEARING NETHERLANDS STRIP AUSTRALIA ON STAGE/ PAN ACROSS LINE OF PLAYERS CLOSE-UP OF U.S. STRIP ENGLAND'S JERMAINE JENAS, WEARING UMBRO SHIRT WITH NIKE BOOTS PHOTOGRAPHERS SLOVENIA AND AUSTRALIA PULL OUT FROM SERBIA TO WHOLE LINE OF PLAYERS BRAZIL, ENGLAND, NETHERLANDS, SOUTH KOREA AND SERBIA
- Embargoed: 16th March 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: United Kingdom
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA80RSE7NTZD7NI07HU4ZNI4FO4
- Story Text: Players from nine nations competing in the 2010 World Cup on Thursday (February 25) revealed their outfits for the tournament which starts in South Africa in June.
Alexander Pato for Brazil, Edson Bradfeeld for Netherlands, Nani for Portugal, Lee Chung-yong for South Korea, Clint Dempsey for USA, Ryan Nelson for New Zealand, Vince Grella for Australia, Nenad Milijas for Serbia and Robert Koren for Slovenia took part in the launch, held in south London, with Jermaine Jenas appearing for England.
All but Brazil's was the away strip, and all made by the clothing firm Nike, except the England strip which was made by Umbro with Nike boots.
Many of the designs hark back to earlier times, with Brazil's being influenced by the 1970 strip of yellow shirt, green collar and blue shorts. The USA design is eye-catching, with a sash from shoulder to waist, while Slovenia has a light green zigzag around a green shirt.
Nike designer Phil Dickinson told reporters at the launch that the soccer strips were made from 100 percent recycled polyester, derived from discarded drinks bottles.
"Our shirts are made from 100 percent recycled polyester. The material uses eight recycled bottles in each shirt. And as one bottle takes up to 500 years to decompose in the land-fill, personally that makes me feel really good," he told reporters.
Dickinson said that the resulting shirts were 15 percent lighter than those used in the 2006 World Cup and were cheaper to produce. Home strips will be shown later.
Serbia and Wolves midfielder, Nenad Milijas, said his country feels its chances for a successful World Cup are good, considering their impressive qualification campaign that saw them comfortably beat France in the race to South Africa.
"We have Germany, Ghana and Australia. And I think it is a tough group but I think everybody from that group can go in second round and I think we will be one of that team. We always play very good in qualification, and we have a very good team with a very good coach, a very good atmosphere now in the team and we prepare good for the World Cup and I hope so that we can pass," he said.
Robert Koren's Slovenia will play against England, which is where he currently plays as part of the West Bromwich team. He said media attention was getting stronger.
"Yeah of course they pay more attention to my performance since we've played a friendly match against England," he said. "The media attention is starting to grow and it is quite hard sometimes but I accept this is all a part of soccer and it does not represent a problem for me."
Brazilian Alexandre Pato flew in to London a day after he helped his club AC Milan close the gap on rivals Inter at the top of Serie A when he scored his team's winner in stoppage time away to Fiorentina.
The young striker said Brazil were confident of having a good tournament despite the draw landing them in the so-called 'Group of Death' alongside fancied Africans Ivory Coast and Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.
"Brazil is very strong, I'm sure that Brazil will have a great World Cup, everybody knows Cristiano Ronaldo is a great player, he won the 'World Player of the Year' prize, I'm sure the Brazil group will have great champions." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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