Just unveiled in Zagreb, the shirt to be worn by Croatia at the upcoming Euros in Germany this June is a radical departure from the classic design so familiar from recent tournaments.
World Cup finalists in 2018, semi-finalists in 2022, the Croatian team have done more to promote the nation around the globe than almost any other celebrity or organisation. The red-and-white checkerboard kit sported by the players is now recognised everywhere.
But the shirt for 2024 moves away from 30 years of tradition and presents the same colours in alternating large squares, with the badge now prominent on a white background.
Feedback has been mixed, although this is nothing like the controversy stirred by the same sportswear giant, Nike, when the new England shirt was revealed, with blue and purple added to the colours of the national flag sewn into the collar.
The 2024 tournament will be Croatia’s seventh consecutive major finals. It will be the last appearance on the big stage for veterans Luka Modrić and Ivan Perišić, heroes of the team and its achievements over the last decade or more. Croatia have been placed in the same group as Spain, Italy and Albania – and will be relying on the mass support of fans who have followed the team around the world. The tournament starts on June 14 and runs for a month.