The France 2022 World Cup away kit may well go down as an all-time favourite with fans of Les Bleus.
Nike are no strangers to evoking cultural icons when it comes to kits – and plenty of French shirts have taken their cues from the nation's rich and vibrant history. But this is one that has so many neat references on it that you can spend all afternoon just scouring the shirt for subtle pictures woven into the fabric.
Adidas and Puma have already released their World Cup kits, with the Swoosh now following – the Nike home shirt for the Three Lions have dropped, too. Almost all World Cup shirts have now been released ahead of November's tournament.
FFT's verdict
The France 2022 World Cup away kit has hidden layers that reveal themselves over time
Nike have given France a few white shirts now. Euro 2020's was plain white with a French flag striping down the sides, while the 2018 World Cup saw a white shirt with blue and red flecks all over. Remember in 2016 when Les Bleus released an away top with one blue sleeve and one red, only for Nike to replace it with a slightly safer all-white top for their home Euros?
Well, this one might be the best French away shirt for quite some time. Inspired by French toile de Jouy, according to Nike, iconic French imagery is woven into the top, such as the nation's Cockerel image that forms their badge, botanicals as seen on both the home shirt sleeves and the women's Euro top from the summer, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and the country's famed Clairefontaine youth academy.
Now this is how to brighten up a plain white tee.
The patterns are barely distinguishable on the shirt, looking more like a washed watercolour than actual fabric. It looked cloudy, too – it's the perfect line between something intricately detailed and simple enough not to draw attention.
And while the home shirt opts for a navy blue this time around, the change strip goes for royal blue when it comes to the nation's crest and Nike Swoosh.
Nike so rarely mix things up with the French away shirt that this is not only well executed but a lovely surprise. Yet another boring white shirt wouldn't have been much fun, now, would it?
You can buy this one from Nike football – the rest of the World Cup kits are on there, too.
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Shirt info
What is the sizing like with the Nike France 2022 World Cup away kit?
The sizing with all Nike football kits is natural enough for your size – though the cuffs and collar might be a little tight if you're looking for a slimmer fit.
Nike have a full size guide here.
What is the difference between the match and regular versions of the Nike France 2022 World Cup away kit?
The match version of the shirt is the official jersey that the players will wear for matches. The only differences are minimal, usually in the material being slightly different and the badges and logos being woven into the shirt rather than printed on.
"This one pairs authentic design details with lightweight, quick-drying fabric to help keep the world's biggest football stars cool and comfortable on the pitch. This product is made from 100% recycled polyester fibres," Nike says.
"Nike Dri-FIT ADV technology combines moisture-wicking fabric with advanced engineering and features to help you stay dry and comfortable. Informed by athlete testing, open-hole fabric in high-heat zones helps you stay cool when the game heats up."
If you want to pay extra for that added quality, you can buy the authentic shirt here. In terms of design or feel though, the regular version of the top is perfectly good and just the same to the naked eye.
