The Czech Republic is looking forward to new jerseys. The national team will no longer play in the greens, reassures Fousek

It was a big bang. National football team in green? Seriously? Fans were amazed when the away kit was unveiled in November 2019. It was a brave moment, the national team had always played in national colors until then.

The new jerseys failed in internet polls and among experts: even the explanation that the shade of the jersey refers to the young leaves of the heart-shaped linden as one of the national symbols did not work. The national team donned the unusual jerseys for the first time on the day of the thirtieth anniversary of the start of the Velvet Revolution, losing 0:1 in Bulgaria.

“The memory of lime green takes me back to the period of the last Euro in 2021, when I was in office for only a few days. At that time, we had a video conference with Puma, which supplies us with jerseys, and I made it clear that as long as I am the president of the association, lime green will not be worn,” explained Fousek.

“I am a traditionalist, I believe in the tricolor. Czechoslovakia and later the Czech Republic played in red, white and blue for over a hundred years and we shouldn’t change that,” stressed Fousek.

By the way, those who will play in them were also involved in the development of the new jerseys. “Designers are sometimes given too much freedom for my taste. At the same time, we are trying so that it is not decided by the officials from the table, but so that those who will wear the jerseys can also express themselves,” described Fousek. “The national team captain Tomáš Souček plays in England, so when it was necessary to test the jerseys live, there were players from the Czech league.”

While, after more than 70 years, the German national team will start supplying jerseys from the American brand Nike instead of the domestic Adidas, which caused emotions even in political circles, in the Czech Republic, it is said that the change is not yet on the way. Although… “Never say never,” Fousek smiled. “The market is developing, we currently have 19 representations and their needs are growing. Hopefully they will like their new jerseys.”