The kit France wore against Australia at the weekend came in for some comment and criticism – apparently, Fifa were concerned about the similarity of their red socks with the gold of their opponents so they wore navy sets.
The red socks will be back on Thursday when they face Peru – but the famous tricolore won’t be seen as the white shorts will be swapped for navy so as to not to clash with the South American side.
It won’t be the first time a team playing Peru in the World Cup will have worn navy-navy-red, though – that was Scotland 40 years ago.
Scotland had worn orange shorts with their home shirts before that, but this was a new departure. The look seemed to be a lucky charm when Joe Jordan put them ahead in the 14th minute, but Peru levelled before half-time and added two more goals in the second half.
The same combination was worn in the 1-1 draw against the all-white-clad Iran, meaning Scotland had little to play for in their final game aguainst the Netherlands (see here for a close look at the Dutch kits worn in the 1978 competition).
Back in their traditional navy-white-red, they won 3-1 and Archie Gemmill scored a goal featured in Trainspotting. In 2014, adidas gave Scotland a kit with navy shorts and dark red socks, but we’re not sure if Peru or Iran featured in the official marketing copy.
Cruel. Funny. But a fair point to end on. For Yours Bluely that Scotland kit is the laboratory test of how much our love of any kit is influenced by the achievements of those wearing it. Two of the greatest humiliations in our history – a combo I’d have back tomorrow (or four years ago …).
That 2014 kit was bloody beautiful and, contrary to popular belief (in Scotland too), we did actually play some impressive football in it. But not enough to make its appeal about anything other than fashion aesthetics.
Now I’m just trying to work out if the laboratory conditions have been contaminated by the fact (a) I’m Scottish, (b) 78 was my first World Cup and (c) 98 was my last.
Yup – there’s definitely been a nostalgia outbreak here. The entire lab’s infected – the tests are compromised …that strip only looks good in my ginger head …
(c) 98 was *our* last – I’ve been traitorously lapping them up for the last twenty years.