USMNT 2022 World Cup kits have potentially been leaked online, leaving many US fans (and soccer fans in general) hoping that the images that have surfaced are not real.
The images appeared on social media via the @usmntonly and @puertodelphian accounts, and show the apparent home and away options for the Stars and Stripes:
One of the images shows the two shirts folded and surrounded by additional garments, and this one certainly feels like a more professional promotional image:
Although it is certainly a better quality photo, there is still a question about the authenticity of these designs. With no official word yet from US Soccer or Nike, let’s look at the clues we can filter to make a guess:
USMNT World Cup Kits: Real or Fake?
Some of the details in these leaked images could lead you to either conclusion. The jersey cut with raglan sleeves and the curved trapezoid shape under the collar at the front is on par with various 2022 Nike releases, such as the Brazil away or Tottenham away. And the centered ridge, while not necessarily common, is not altogether unusual.
But then you have this extra seam on the sleeves, almost like a shoulder yoke on a hockey sweater, which I don’t think we’ve seen on any other Nike jerseys recently. As you can see above, in the standalone image of the white top of the house, the truncated stripes on each side are uneven, with no red at all on the left side. And even on the right it doesn’t match the more even width of the stripes that can be seen in the cleaner photo, leading me to believe it could be an earlier, poorly made pirate shirt. Of course, they may have done an asymmetric stripe design, but that would be a very strange choice.
Visible in the second image, you can make out a large Nike logo on the sleeve, which is a very unusual placement for a football jersey, at least one from Nike. While brands like Adidas, Kappa or Hummel have made placing their logo (or elements of it) along the sleeves their trademark, it’s highly unusual for Nike, who tend to place their branding up front on the chest.
In fact, this swoosh placement and stripe pattern almost makes the top of the house look like a certain gridiron football team:
Moving on to the blue away shirt, the cut is another variant of the raglan sleeve design we’ve seen before, such as on the Liverpool 2022/23 away shirt.
The tie-dye pattern is vaguely reminiscent of Adidas’ Leeds 22/23 away strip, but much less in your face with the psychedelia.
The most interesting detail is on the inside of the collar, the words “United States”. This might seem like a typo and a telltale sign of a bad imitation, but if you look back at some of the training and fashion gear US Soccer has recently released with just the word “STATES,” this could be a cleverly simple new . marketing slogan for the 2022 USMNT World Cup race:
The verdict
First of all, do we think these are legitimate leaks? In this observer’s opinion: yes, these are more than likely the ones the US will use in November in Qatar. Many of the details are consistent with other recent Nike releases, so it’s likely we’re looking at the real deal.
So assuming these are real, what do we think? Well, to put it lightly, I hope I’m wrong and these are fake images.
Grade: D
A big, big disappointment. It should be noted that we have yet to see the shorts/socks and name/number treatment that will accompany these jerseys, but there is very little that can save these designs at this point.
They both look like training shirts. Swap the shield out for a generic “USA” brand. Lots of authentic kits at a great price over the years.)
The plus side of the US not really having a defined look (think Argentina stripes, Dutch orange, Croatian checkers, etc.) is that it has the freedom to do something a little different each time. Considering the vast amount of creative freedom at your disposal, it’s disheartening how often Nike (supplier of equipment to the USMNT since 1995) fails miserably with red, white and blue.
While the US has featured some notable newcomer acts over the years (1994’s denim, 2012’s “Where’s Waldo,” 2014’s “Bomb Pop,” among others), nothing has really stood out as an aspect really cool. For me, the closest they have ever come was the 2010/11 cummerbund collection, and the refined, understated beauty of the 2013 centenary kit and its magnificent large embroidered crest. But even among the unpredictable library of US styles, the apparent tops of 2022 are definitely at the bottom of the heap.
What do you think? Are these the real ones? And if so, do you like them? Let us know where you’d rank them among the USMNT’s all-time wardrobe in the comments.
And check out the official World Cup jerseys for Qatar 2022 to see what you think of the confirmed jerseys.