adidas unveils its line-up of home jerseys for UEFA EURO2020TM, united by art and football

Herzogenaurach, November 11, 2019: adidas today reveals the home jerseys of its sponsored Federations for UEFA EURO2020^TM.  Uniting art and football, each design is inspired by the similarities that exist between these territories.

A unique approach to developing the jerseys saw creators from across all parts of the brand produce hand-drawn sketches, rather than using digital methods. These artworks created by a diverse collective of designers spoke to the passion and emotion shared by fans and players, which would later become the inspiration for the final patterns, colour choices and number graphics of the jerseys.

Juergen Rank, Senior Design Director at adidas, commented: “It was a unique challenge to develop a line of jerseys that would successfully convey the raw emotion and unifying effect of football. But beginning the creative process focusing on hand drawings enabled us to be more direct, human and emotional in what we created. We’re delighted with an end result that truly succeeds in uniting the worlds of art and football.”

These jerseys will be available in two variations – authentic and replica. The authentic jersey for the first time ever features a unique shape to the hemline, enabling more fluid movement for the wearer.

To mark the 60^th anniversary of the competition, UEFA EURO2020^TM will be held across 12 countries in the most diverse tournament yet. In commemoration, adidas has created a special stamp icon to feature on each jersey for each match. The copy of each stamp is written in the language of the host country, which features within a shape that correlates to the outline of the stadium the match will be held in.

• DFB (Germany)

Stripes have been embedded in the design of DFB’s jersey since the 1980s, and the 2020 version will see the iconic detail reinterpreted in the style of contemporary hand-painted pinstripes. In a nod to modern, street style, it is a simple aesthetic inspired by the clean brush strokes of the original artwork that informed its design.

The new jersey also sees the return of German black-red-gold flag colours on the sleeves, while the dynamic lines within the flag detail represent the diverse background of German players and fans, celebrating the notions of togetherness and inclusivity that the country prides itself on.

• FAW (Wales)

Welsh culture is celebrated in its latest home jersey, with the red and yellow details taking inspiration from the banner of Owain Glyndŵr. The sleeve cuff pays homage to the Welsh supporters labelled “The Red Wall” and features the iconic green, white and red of the Welsh flag.

• IFA (Northern Ireland)

The IFA jersey takes its inspiration from the iconic shirt design the country wore in the 1980s, featuring diagonal line details. When creating the jersey for 2020, the adidas art and sketch teams looked to this iconic past and worked to revamp it using a strong combination of various shades of green and broad-brush strokes to add dynamism.

• RBFA (Belgium)

RBFA’s updated jersey celebrates the strong and progressive colours of the nation’s flag. Created using handcrafted brushstrokes that visually represent the art concept of the collection, the flag graphic features intersecting lines that proudly hint at the letter ‘B’. Another ‘B’ detail also features on the back of the neck, completing the subtle detailing and intricate detailing of the jersey.

• RFEF (Spain)

A modern take on classic art, the new RFEF home jersey features an original hand-painted artwork, featuring deep hues of red and burgundy as an abstract celebration of the national flag. When making the original art piece that inspired the design, adidas’s creators took a unique approach to breaking the flag into single pixels and reconnecting it in a refreshed colour palette seen on the final shirt. This bold print, which aims to provide a modern take on the beloved flag, is accentuated by fine detailing on the neck reading ‘1920’, honouring the 100^th anniversary of Spain’s first Federation shirt and their first iconic crest of a lion.

• RFU (Russia)

Reintroducing the strong, bold colours of the nation’s flag, RFU’s 2020 jersey is designed with red colour blocking as inspired by the artwork which informed its concept. As a symbol of unity amongst players and fans, the shirt also features a combination of blue and white detail on the sleeves. As its own piece of artwork, a hand-painted graphic is included as part of the design, giving the classic shirt a fresh and modern look.

• SFA (Scotland)

When creating the original artwork for the adidas 2020 jersey, the painters and sketch artists looked to modernise iconic design elements of historic SFA jerseys, by creating a hand-painted contemporary interpretation of the classic look.

• SVFF (Sweden)

The new SVFF jersey unites class and modernity, featuring a clean and minimalist look to place the focus on the artwork graphic of the sleeves. A progressive interpretation of the Swedish flag gives the shirt a fresh and clean feel, while a ‘Sverige’ detail on the back of the neck rounds of the sleek and stylish design.

The UEFA EURO2020^TM Federation jerseys will be available to purchase in store at Ultra HQ in Sydney or online from 6PM (AEST) Tuesday 12/11.