Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) 2011 Jerseys

Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) unveiled the six home jerseys to be worn during the 2011 WPS season at event in Manhattan on February 3, 2011. The league also unveiled custom-designed Project Pink uniforms to be worn during designated games in 2010 to help raise awareness for fight against breast cancer. The WPS season is slated to begin on April 9.

WorldSoccerShop.com will carry the home jerseys for all six teams this season.

PUMA 2011 WPS Kits

Nikki Marshall, Washington Freedom

Keeley Dowling, Atlanta Beat

Allie Long, Sky Blue FC

Alex Scott, Boston Breakers

Tasha Kai, Philadelphia Independence

Becky Edwards, Western New York Flash

Leslie Osborne, Boston Breakers (Project Pink)

Credits: WomensProSoccer.com Photos: Howard C. Smith/ISIPhotos.com

Nike Unveils 2011/12 Brazil National Team Home Jersey

The Confederação Brasileira de Futebol and Nike have officially launched the Brazil 2011/12 home kit that the Seleção will wear for this summer's 2011 Copa America, FIFA Under-17 World Cup and FIFA Under-20 World Cup (both pending qualification).

The Brazil Nike 2011/12 home jersey is slated to be worn for the first time in competion on February 9th when the Seleção meets France in an international friendly at the Stade de France.

According to kit manufacturer Nike:

Known throughout the world for their artistry on the pitch, the Brasilian National Team combine a unique flair with technical excellence and blinding speed.

With five stars emboldened across the most feared jersey in world football, their legendary style of play is only matched by an unrivaled passion to win… for each other, the team and their country. These hallmarks of their playing style led to the design of the new Brasil National Team kit which combines precision fabrication with bold styling. Nothing but the best for world beaters. The top materials, exquisite design detailing and the bold chest stripe of the new home jersey symbolize the artistry and toughness that define the mighty Canarinhos.

The relentless spirit and unmatched championships evolve with the launch of a technically advanced new Brasil team kit.


Crafted from 13% lighter fabric that uses up to 8 recycled plastic bottles per jersey, the boldly durable design represents pinnacle kit design for Nike Football.

• Crew-neck design provides a comfortable, non-restricting fit.
• Bonded hem offers a streamlined look that reduces the irritation caused by chafing.
• Team crest on the left chest is heat transferred for a bold way to show Brasilian national pride.

• Patriotic screenprint graphics of “Brasil” on the back and the Brasilian flag on the inside of the neck for subtle design details.
• Dri-FIT fabric to wick sweat away and help keep you dry and comfortable.
• Considered Design* for high performance and low environmental impact.

*Considered Design used for the CBF kit represents Nike’s ongoing commitment to design without compromise either to performance or the planet. By continually raising the standards for innovation and sustainability, Nike envisions a “closed loop” future where the shoes you wear today become the shoes, shirts or equipment you use tomorrow. The benchmarks include using less toxics, more sustainable materials and creating less waste.

Photo Credits: Nike

A Guide to the 2011 African Nations Championship

During January, soccer fans were treated to the excitement of two international soccer competitions with the recently concluded AFC Asian Cup 2011 and the Copa Centroamericana 2011. Now our attention shifts to the soccer hotbed of Africa for the CAF African Championship of Nations (CHAN).

Unlike the more prestigious Africa Cup of Nations, teams participating in CHAN must be comprised only of players participating in a given country’s domestic league system. For example, the Ghana national team must be made up only of players currently playing in Ghana.

The 2011 African Nations Championship is the second edition of the tournament following its debut in 2009. Sudan will play host to the contest from February 4 to 25, 2011. A collection of scouts from European clubs seeking to unearth the next Didier Drogba, Michael Essien or Samuel Eto’o is expected to descend on the Saharan nation during this period.

Here are the groups 2011 African Nations Championship. The tournament schedule is available at this CAF link. We haven’t been able to find a media outlet in the United States showing the competition but match highlights may be available at the 2011 African Nations Championship video site.

Group A: Sudan (Hosts), Gabon, Uganda, Algeria
Group B: Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Niger
Group C: D.R. Congo (Defending Champion), Cameroon , Cote d’Ivoire, Mali
Group D: Senegal, Rwanda, Angola, Tunisia

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Rapper Drake and Rio Ferdinand talk Music and Football

Pretty interesting to hear a Rapper and a Footballer talk about how their jobs are similar. Drake is the Canadian Rapper who's first studio album Thank Me Later was a huge success last year recently toured the UK and made a stop in Manchester to visit United's facilities. Rio made sure to take in a show during the tour and of course got backstage access. "Sports and music are so synonymous. Cause we want to be them and they want to be us." - Drake

[via Hypebeast]

adidas Launches the Neo Collection

Global sportswear brand and major player in the sphere of soccer, adidas, has launched a brand new fashion label that melds sports with everyday fashion - adidas Neo.

The firm describes the adidas Neo Label as the freshest casual sportswear from adidas. From unique and fun footwear and apparel to a David Beckham-inspired collection, the range has something for everyone.

adidas’ fresh and newest label has sports-inclined and stylish youth in mind . The collection offers the stylish and fashionable different products that inspire individuality and self-expression while offering designs that reflect the latest fashion trends for the season.

adidas Neo offers different sportswear and accessories with vibrant colors, geometric graphics and patterns. What makes it more interesting is that there are customized pockets for MP3 players and holes for headphones worked into apparel and bags for those on the go.

Here’s a look at some of the items in the adidas Neo Fall/Winter 2010 collection as the latest adidas Neo video. Be sure to check out the World Soccer Shop adidas Neo Store for more from the label including the David Beckham range.

Photos courtesy of adidas.

The History of the adidas Samba - A Soccer Icon

Considered by many soccer aficionados to be the quintessential indoor playing shoes and by fashionistas to be a classic, all-purpose casual shoe, the adidas Samba has become iconic over the last 50 years.

Developed by a fledgling adidas in the late 1940s and first produced in 1950, the Samba was the first soccer shoe designed to allow players to train on hard, icy surfaces. Its then innovative gum rubber outsole made it the first shoe to provide the traction necessary for players to perform drills and run on the frozen fields of Europe in wintertime. This outsole later proved to be the basis of indoor soccer or futsal shoes. In fact, the adidas Samba was one of the few indoor soccer shoes on the market until the 1990s when manufacturers such as Nike, Umbro and Puma entered the genre.

Since 1950, the adidas Samba has sold over 35 million pair to generations of soccer players and sport-inspired shoe lovers. It has made its way into popular culture from being the choice shoe of the 1970s Liverpool football casuals / scally subculture to having a Def Jam 25^th  Anniversary edition in 2009. The adidas Samba also became a staple among the punk rock and skater crowds in the 1980s and with the Emo set in the 2000s.

Take a look at Twilight star Robert Pattinson (or vampire Edward for Twihards out there) and you might see him stalking the streets of Hollywood in a pair of adidas Sambas. The shoe also recently appeared on the feet of Shia Labeouf's character Sam Witwicky in the 2009 smash film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Back in the early days of hip hop in the 1980s, the Samba's close cousin, the adidas Superstar, was often a staple of legendary rap group Run DMC.

The adidas Samba Classic has maintained the use of a full-grain black leather upper, three-profile gum rubber outsole, non-folding mid-length synthetic tongue, and three white adidas stripes. However, over the years a number of color schemes and slightly-altered incarnations of the shoe have made their way onto the feet of Samba-lovers. These have included suede-upper Sambas and national team editions such as the current Spain and Argentina editions of the shoe.

While World Soccer Shop celebrates Indoor Week 11 with an unmatched selection of indoor soccer shoes, let’s not forget where it all started – a frozen training pitch in adidas’ hometown of Herzogenaurach, Germany in 1950 – with the Samba.

Check out the World Soccer Shop selection of adidas Samba shoes at this link. 

Photo Credits: World Soccer Shop and adidas

A Guide to the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011

The AFC Asian Cup 2011 is the first major soccer tournament of the new year. Following the tournament's qualification process, sixteen finalists will compete for the much-respected title of AFC Asian Champion in Qatar from January 7th to January 29th.

The AFC Asian Cup 2011 winner will qualify for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil. With a host of European-based stars such  as Tim Cahill (Australia and Everton), Shinji Kagawa (Japan and Borussia Dortmund) and Park Ji Sung (South Korea and Manchester United) on show, the 2011 Asian Cup is definitely one to watch for soccer fans around the world.

Here's the World Soccer Shop Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask Guide to the AFC Asian Cup 2011.

Groups

Schedule

A PDF version of the AFC Asian Cup 2011 schedule is available at the AFC website at this link.

Team to Watch

Australia

Now an Asian powerhouse since moving from the Oceania Football Confederation in search of more challenging opposition, the Aussies are loaded with European-based talent. Following a disappointing run in the 2007 Asian Cup, the Socceroos are among the tournament favorites and will be looking to advance beyond the quarter-final round for the first time.

Big Group Stage Match: vs. South Korea on Janaury on January 14th. This match should determine top spot in a group also featuring Bahrain and India.

Key Players: Tim Cahill (Everton), Mark Schwarzer (Fulham FC), Brett Emerton (Blackburn Rovers)

China

Now rebuilding after surprisingly missing out on the final AFC qualification round for the 2011 FIFA World Cup, China has shown good form off late with friendly victories of Latvia and Estonia. China will have to maintain this form to advance from a tough group featuring hosts Qatar, Uzbekistan and Kuwait.

Big Group Stage Match: vs. Uzbekistan on January 16th. This could be a do or die match for the Chinese.

Key Players: Hao Junmin (Schalke 04), Qu Bo (Shaanxi Zhongjian)

Japan

With the most of the team that came within a penalty kick of the quater-finals of last summer's World Cup called up to represent Japan at the Asian Cup, anything less than a semi-final appearance will come as a shock to Blue Samurai fans. The team has shown fine form since the World Cup with recent friendly wins over Argentina and Paraguay.

Big Group Stage Match: vs. Saudi Arabia on January 17th. This match is expected to determine first place in Group B.

Key Players: Keisuke Honda (CSKA Moscow), Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund), Makoto Hasebe( VfL Wolfsburg)

India

They're not expected to advance beyond the first round in their first appearance in the Asian Cup since 1984. Nevertheless, India's national soccer program has been the beneficiary of significant investment from parties seeking to raise the profile of the sport to a market of over one billion Indian citizens. Good performances could do wonders for the sport in the cricket-mad economic power.

Big Group Stage Match: vs. Australia on January 10th. A good showing by the Indians will spur interest in the world's most second most populous country.

Key Players: Suni Chheteri (Sporting Kansas City), Bhaichung Bhutia (East Bengal)

Iran

The three-time champions and seemingly perpetual semi-finalists will be seeking a return to the final four of the Asian after a disappointing quarter-final exit in 2007 and an equally disappointing 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign.

Big Group Stage Match: vs. neighbors and long-time rivals Iraq on January 11th.

Key Players: Javad Nekounam (Osasuna), Masoud Shojaei (Osasuna)

Iraq

Shock champions in 2007, Iraq will be looking to repeat in 2011 under manager former Werder Bremen boss Wolfgang Sidka. Though they are defending champions and gave a good showing in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup (with two draws and one loss), the turmoil in Iraq has left soccer in the country in a state of disarray and Iraq remains somewhat of an unknown quantity. A recent 1-0 loss to Syria followed by a 1-0 win at Saudi Arabia is indicative of this.

Big Group Stage Match: vs. neighbors  and long-time rivals Iran on January 11th.

Key Players: Younis Mahmoud (Al-Gharafa), Nashat Akram (Al-Wakrah)

Saudi Arabia

Either champions or second place finishers in an astounding six of the last seven AFC Asian Cups, Saudi Arabia knows how to find success in the tournament. The team is also looking to re-establish itself as an Asian power after missing out on its first FIFA World Cup since its debut on the world stage at USA 1994.

Big Group Stage Match: vs. Japan on January 17th. The winner should take first place in Group B.

Key Players:  Yasser Al-Qahtani (Al Hilal), Mohammad Al-Shalhoub (Al Hilal)

South Korea

Like rivals Japan, South Korea will send most of the team that came within a whisk of a 2010 FIFA World Cup quarter-final spot to Qatar. Featuring several players currently plying their trade in the English Premier League, Scottish Premier League and German Bundesliga, South Korea are among the favorites to take the cup home.

Big Group Stage Match: vs. South Korea on Janaury on January 14th. Expected to see who tops the Group C.

Key Players: Park Ji Sung (Manchester United), Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton Wanderers), Cha Du-Ri (Celtic FC)

Where to Watch

Free highlights will be available at the AFC Asian Cup YouTube Channel. ESPN STAR Sports has acquired the television rights to the tournament in Asia. For the U.S., One World Sports acquired the rights through World Sport Group, the AFC’s exclusive marketing and media partner.

One World Sports has licensed the full event to iN DEMAND, which will distribute the football tournament to Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, Bright House Networks, Cablevision, Charter, Mediacom and a host of other U.S. affiliates; DISH Network; and Avail/TVN, which includes AT&T and Verizon FiOS among its affiliates. Matches can be purchased on a per-game basis through Pay-Per-View. Broadband coverage will be available live via One World Sports Broadband. Mobile coverage is on Verizon Wireless V CAST Video.

Photo Credits: Getty Images