Nigeria has not kicked a ball in Russia yet, but the country has already won some accolades as an influential international magazine, GQ, has voted the Super Eagles' jersey as the best of the participating teams for this year’s World Cup tourney. The three-time African Cup of Nations champions are in the same group as Argentina, Iceland and Croatia as they hope to surpass their second round record in past championships.
Closely following 2013 AFCON champions on the list of best strips heading to the tournament are Croatia and Argentina in the second and third positions respectively, while south American teams; Peru and five-time World Cup winners, Brazil complete the top five best jerseys in the 32 participating teams for this year’s edition of the competition.
Egypt is ranked 16th, Tunisia was voted 24th best, Morocco 25th while Senegal were rated as the worst, having come in at 32nd.
Germany, despite being the defending champions showed some slack as their strip isn’t as superb as their performance in 2014, scoring them on the 14th position, two places behind France in the 12th and a spot above England in the 15th position.
While rating the 32 teams participating at this year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia, the magazine said of Nigeria’s second strip: “Nigeria’s offering for the 2018 Cup is eccentric and off-the-wall in the best possible way. The heady mixture of cool green, white and black evoke sensations of spearmint gum, while the blurred chevrons ooze cool. The bad news? It’s already sold out in the UK.”
This is the second time the Super Eagles' World Cup jersey will be voted the best of the lot after influential UK-based Mirror also gave it the nod last February.
Meanwhile, in the battle of the brands, German kits' manufacturing giants, Adidas, came tops, having kitted 12 of the countries at the World Cup. Rivals, Nike came closely in second place with 10 teams, including Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Brazil, while Puma will kit four teams. American firm, New Balance will provide equipment for Costa Rica and Panama, Italian Errea are kitting Iceland and England’s Umbro will kit Peru. Unisport are Tunisia’s providers while Hummel will kit Denmark.
Hundreds of fans have flocked to Oxford Street, London, scrambling to get their hands on Nigeria's beautiful World Cup kit.
By Mercy Kukah
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