Nike presents «Zenit’s» new kits

The Blue-White-Sky Blues’ jubilee year continues with a kit that features the championship star above the arrow, preserving club tradition and emphasising the link between the team and the city, as the website of the club informs. 

The new jersey continues the well known tradition by carrying the Blue-White-Sky Blue colors. The new design element is a zigzag pattern that symbolizes the Neva’s flowing waves. 

The home jersey is blue with white lines that thin as they move to the top, imitating the movement and texture of a stormy river. A trim line with a V-shaped neck brings the design to perfection. 

The away playing jersey carries the traditional white with sky-blue text and features contrasting dark blue lining around the collar and the sleeves. The shorts and socks are both white in the away kit. 

«Zenit» has managed to move from an amateur collective to one of the leading European clubs, capturing the USSR Cup in 1944 all the way to the 5th victory in the country’s Premier League in 2015. The number «90» on the emblem inside of the jersey's collar serves to remind the players of the club’s history. 

A special series of photos presenting the new jerseys and kits continues the campaign «Play and rule», a campaign wherein Nike called forth «Zenit’s» historical achievements. These photos feature Oleg Shatov and Nicolas Lombaerts trying on the jerseys for the first time. 

— It’s always interesting to see the jerseys at the start of the new season. It’s obvious how much work went into designing them, there is a lot of attention to detail, — Oleg said. — The club’s colors, symbols, the reference to the club’s history and St. Petersburg, the first star above the emblem — all of this is going to inspire and motivate each of us. 

— I like the new jersey. It’s light and comfortable and is a symbol of our historic victory, — said Nicolas Lombaerts. — I believe that the new season will be a successful one for us. The stakes are pretty high, we know we have to retain an important title. 

***

Nike’s designers are constantly refining and perfecting the jersey as the game itself changes year after year: today’s players cover 17% more of the pitch and make 37% more runs than just five years ago. Faster players need a more innovative kit: one that’s light, doesn’t hinder movement and raises the effectiveness of their game. 

Lighter materials and a better fit 

The playing jersey sits more freely at the waist, enhancing the player’s freedom of movement and access to air. The socks are thinner overall but thicker around the big toe and the ankle and feature a tighter fit around the heel and arch of the foot. 

Dri-Fit

 Nike Dri-Fit technology brings moisture outward where it can more quickly evaporate. Facilitating maximum comfort during the game, the Dri-Fit jersey helps the players bring out their best. The mesh has three micro-holes that guarantee excellent air circulation where players need it most. 

Looking after the environment 

The jersey is made from recycled plastic bottles. The shorts and playing jerseys are made from 100% recycled polyester and the socks from 78% recycled polyester. Each kit is made from an average of 18 bottles meaning that Nike has utilized over 2 billion such bottles for the production of playing jerseys.