RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, Nov. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Set against the backdrop of the Granja Comary, the official training facility of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), all 22 members of the Brazilian National Football Team appeared together today to debut their new National Team Kit that will be worn during South American World Cup Qualifying play and for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. Players stood in for a special team photo to introduce the new kit that is built to meet the demands of play on the pitch. The kit jersey features a new dynamic fit design for a tighter, better fit and Dri-FIT technology to keep players drier and cooler during play.
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The debut of new Home Team Kit also underscores a special occasion in the team's history, marking the 50th Anniversary of its 1st World Cup win, when Brazil's love affair with the World Cup began on the fields of Sweden with the first of their record five victories in the tournament.
To reflect the heritage of the 1958 World Cup jersey, which sported a traditional collar, the new home jersey features a modern performance collar built in to the fabric. The Brazilian green features on the collar, cuffs and a new flash on the side. The CBF crest is boldly placed on the left side of the chest with the five stars proudly displayed above it to mark the five World Cup wins. Inside the neck, 'Born to Play Football', a phrase that has always resonated with Brazilians, is written in Portuguese.
"There is no doubt that the launch of this jersey, with a tribute to the 1958 players, will become part of the lives of these players," said Jorginho, Brazil Football Team Assistant Coach. "And we will be able to review the stories of these athletes who made history at their times."
The jersey has a new dynamic fit which will look tighter on the body and harder to pull during the game. Now the flair of team players such as Ronaldinho and Robinho will be harder to stop by defenders' bold tactics. An ergonomic mesh on the back will allow the body to continue to breathe and cool itself.
"The more comfortable I feel with the shirt, the better," says Robinho. "Many times, I try to gain advantage on speed."
The jersey is made from Nike Dri-FIT, an innovative technology that enhances the performance of players by helping to keep them drier, cooler and lighter. It achieves this by drawing sweat away from the body to the fabric's surface for fast drying.
The home shorts are designed in traditional royal blue with a white flash on the side, while the socks are white with a green and yellow band, featuring the five World Cup winning stars running down the calf on one sock and down the shin on the other one.
The Brazil National Team will wear the new kit while pursuing their qualification for the World Cup 2010. In addition, the team will also wear the kit in Beijing, where the team will go after the only international accolade they have yet to bring home: the Olympic Gold Medal.
NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned Nike subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; NIKE Bauer Hockey Inc., a leading designer and distributor of hockey equipment; Cole Haan, a leading designer and marketer of luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories and Exeter Brands Group LLC, which designs and markets athletic footwear and apparel for the value retail channel.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Please contact your local Nike office or visit http://media.nikefootball.com/.
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