When Nike’s World Cup kits debuted in March, many fans identified a bizarre detail: an unsightly bulge along the shoulder seam. It was subtle on some players, but, on others, such as France’s Kylian Mbappé, it was borderline comical.
It felt entirely unrealistic that the design of the shirts would be fundamentally changed three months before the start of the World Cup and on Wednesday a source familiar with Nike’s plan confirmed they had not altered the shirts in any way. What Nike had done, the source said, is offer instructions to member federations on how to wash them before wearing and steam the shoulder seams.
Nike had acknowledged the issue when it was raised in March, saying “the overall aesthetic is not where it needs to be”. A source within Nike also said then that the company was in conversation with the federations they supply and retail vendors and that they were searching for a solution. Different handling of the shirts, it seems, is that solution.
The tips do seem to have worked a bit, as the problem appeared less noticeable in May and June friendlies in the buildup. Still, it stands as a rare miss for Nike, which boasted about the design process of the shirts, stressing the use of “computational design” and “a highly specialised, stitch-specific knitting process to help athletes stay cool”.
That computational process was driven by performance data and incorporated elements of AI to work alongside the company’s designers as they crafted the kits.
Shoulder issue notwithstanding, many of the kits have been popular among fans, particularly those of the USA. The team will take the field against Paraguay in Los Angeles wearing a red and white, flag‑themed top that has quickly become ever-present at US matches. The US have long partnered with Nike and the sportswear giant crafted a pair of distinctive looks for the team: the striped kit and a dark blue look with sublimated stars that shimmer slightly and vary in visibility depending on the light.
But while players on the field will look put-together, fans in the stands may still be left shouldering the issue, until they buy a steamer.
