Shirt blocked just hours before kickoff
UEFA has knocked back the retro shirt Germany had prepared for Jurgen Klopp’s first game in charge of the Mannschaft. The German Football Association wanted to pay tribute to the green away shirt worn at the 1990 World Cup. Two details caused the problem. The three stripes ran all the way to the end of the sleeves, a zone set aside for competition badges. The players’ numbers were missing from the front of the shirt.
The match is set for Thursday at 20:45 in Amsterdam, where Germany face the Netherlands in the Nations League. Klopp will take his first official game with the national team just months after leaving the English dugouts behind.
Try it for $0.99.
A black shirt to the rescue
With no green light, the team will wear an all-black kit instead. The design is said to be the last one made by Adidas before Nike take over as the federation’s supplier in 2027. It was never originally meant for this match. Its official launch was due on November 3, before a first outing on November 16 in Berlin, again against the Netherlands. UEFA’s refusal has brought its debut forward.
Asked about it in his press conference on Wednesday, Klopp made no secret of his excitement about the emergency strip. He called it beautiful.
A debut under pressure
The German coach arrives with a record that speaks for itself. Two Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund, a Champions League and a Premier League crown with Liverpool. After leaving the Reds in 2024, he is back in a dugout for the first time with the national side, a very different challenge from the day-to-day grind of club management.
The trip to Amsterdam is a proper test ahead of what’s coming next in the Nations League. The shirt row has taken up part of the build-up to his first spell in charge, but the coach wants the focus back on what his side does on the pitch.
Discover the latest Football news on our mathodds website and app!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply