When Nike unveiled its World Cup kits in March, spectators noticed something odd. The shoulder seams bulged outward in an exaggerated, almost cartoonish way. France's Kylian Mbappé looked particularly awkward in the oversized bumps. The issue was subtle on some players but impossible to miss on others.
Rather than redesign the shirts three months before the tournament, Nike took a different approach. The company instructed member federations to wash and steam the shoulder seams before players wore them in competition. A source familiar with the plan confirmed the jerseys themselves remained unchanged.
Nike had acknowledged the aesthetic problem when it first surfaced, stating the overall look "is not where it needs to be." The company said it was working with federations and retail vendors to find a solution. That solution turned out to be a care instruction most people would normally apply to any garment.
The workaround appeared to help. Friendly matches in May and June showed noticeably fewer shoulder bulges than the March debut. Still, the issue marked an unusual stumble for a company that had heavily promoted the shirts' technical sophistication, citing "computational design" and "a highly specialised, stitch-specific knitting process" aimed at keeping athletes cool.
The design process had relied on performance data and artificial intelligence working alongside Nike's design team. Yet all that technological firepower couldn't prevent a manufacturing problem that hot air and moisture could solve.
Despite the shoulder mishap, many of the kits have gained fan approval. The USA jersey has been particularly popular, with its red and white flag-themed design showing up regularly in the stands at American matches. Nike created two distinctive options for the team: a striped jersey and a dark blue version featuring sublimated stars that shift in visibility depending on lighting conditions. Both have resonated with supporters.
The broader lesson seems clear: even advanced manufacturing can benefit from basic garment care.
Author James Rodriguez: "A company spends months developing AI-assisted jersey technology only to tell federations they need a home steamer, which is both hilarious and exactly what they deserve."
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