FIFA World Cup 2014 Groups & Teams: Top 10 Best, Worst Jerseys in the Tournament
Soccer players exhibit some serious flair on the field, and it's not just because of their fancy footwork. What they wear is also analyzed by soccer fans. After all, soccer followers want to wear the jerseys their favorite players do. Unfortunately, not all jerseys are created equal. Here's a roundup of the 10 worst and 10 best team jerseys at the 2014 World Cup.
WORST
10. Cameroon (Home)
While jerseys should have personality, this one is a bit conflicting. The patches and the pattern don't work well together. A few adjustments, such as making the background pattern very subtle could have really improved this jersey.
9. Croatia (Home)
Croatia's jerseys may be known for its checkerboard pattern, but having to add a number to the front of that jersey proved troublesome. The back of the jerseys only feature half of a checkerboard pattern, which was probably done so that the names could be written on the back. It doesn't stop it from being quite odd. The team has had better checkerboard designs in the past.
8. Japan (Away)
On the field, neon is good. But not in this way. This yellow-green color is very hard to pull off. There's really nothing wrong with the actual design of the shirt, but it's impossible to move past that color. The team will also be wearing matching shorts, so basically, each player will look like a giant highlighter.
7. Costa Rica (Home)
There's only one place your eye is going to be looking with these jerseys: the left pectoral. This jersey needs balance. Both the heaviest part of that blue pattern and the emblem are on the same side. The logo on the left sleeve is also jarring, and another example of the jerseys leaning too heavily toward one side.
6. Russia (Home)
This rich red color is easy on the eyes, but the abstract pattern that takes up about half the jersey doesn't look interesting or attractive.
5. Nigeria (Home)
There's nothing wrong with simple, but where this jersey goes wrong is in the two shades of green used. It doesn't look as noticeable when you just see the top, but when paired with the shorts, the darker green just feels out of place.
4. Ecuador (Home)
The subtle pattern and the blue-and-yellow combination should all be applauded. But the way the blue forms around the shoulder is weird. And probably a good way to draw attention to the armpit area.
3. Algeria (Away)
Algeria is proof that emblems need to be rethought. The rest of the shirt is just in green, and the only decoration are the three patches at the top. While that area feels too crowded, the rest of the jersey feels too plain.
2. Italy (Away)
These jerseys have a bit of a baseball look. And really, if it weren't for the Italia emblem, it'd be difficult to guess what team these jerseys belonged in. There are two thin green and red stripes running down the sides, and while they may give the players a slimming effect, they don't really add anything special to the jersey.
1. Belgium (Home)
The national team's crest features a crown, and the Belgium jerseys makes it the centerpiece. But subtlety would have worked much better. The shirt is actually very nice otherwise. What makes it worse is that the away jersey, which has a similar feel, shows just how good the team's main jerseys could have been.
BEST
10. Honduras (Away)
The blue jersey features very subtle stripes, and a very subtle way to pay tribute to a country's flag. On the big H, there are five stars shown, just as it is on the flag. It's just the right touch of pride.
9. Argentina (Away)
The team's home jerseys are expected. As a matter of fact, you've probably seen Messi wear it many times before. The away jersey is not like that. It features darker blue stripes, and both men and women will look snazzy wearing this on any day.
8. Ghana (Home)
This is the jersey Cameroon wanted. It has a unique pattern, but instead of overwhelming the shirt with so much, it is only limited to the collar.
7. Brazil (Away)
Yellow and green may be Brazil's signature look, but the blue striped top is much more sophisticated.
6. Mexico (Home)
The zig zag effect at the top is different, and features all the colors of the flag. It's also one of the jerseys that best melds pattern and emblems. Neither component one ups the other. Instead, they work together for a visually interesting look.
5. United States (Away)
The U.S. saved all its personality for its away jerseys. Blue and red are separated by one bold white stripe, and the jersey doesn't really need anything else to emphasize patriotism.
4. France (Away)
Even when it comes to soccer jerseys, the French are sophisticated and cool. These light gray stripes make these tops the easiest to wear when one isn't attending a soccer game.
3. South Korea (Away)
Why choose between two colors when you can just alternate them? The South Korean jerseys feature a red stripe on one side and a blue stripe on the other. It's also a nice nod to the flag, where the two colors are represented as yin and yang.
2. Netherlands (Home)
This is the right way to stand out when wearing a bright color. It's loud, but not too loud that it borders on tacky. Netherlands did an overall great job with its jerseys, as both its home and away are sharp.
1. Germany (Home)
Germany uses an ombre effect that goes from black to red to orange, just as the country's flag does. The chevron shape looks as though it's fading from afar, but really it's made up of thin stripes in different colors.
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