Fashion experts weigh in on World Cup jersey style

Backdropped by the Itaquerao stadium, a Mexico soccer fan poses for a photo wearing a wrestling mask and a representation of his country's national flag as a cape, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tuesday, June 10, 2014. The high-profile inaugural match will be played at the troubled Itaquerao, which was one of the most delayed venues for the World Cup. It's already known that the stadium's roof won't be fully finished until after the tournament. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Fashion experts weigh in on World Cup jersey style — The World Cup uniforms will provide a carnival of color and fashion, from Brazil's bright yellow jerseys to the Netherlands' classic orange to Croatia's red checkered home kit and the superhero-inspired looks of Mexico.

The 2014 tournament, which opens Thursday when Brazil hosts Croatia, features the classics, the creative and the downright outlandish.

The Americans' new red, white and blue color-block road jerseys — critics say they resemble Domino's Pizza delivery uniforms — can't be as bad as the memorable faux denim outfits from 1994. But the vote is still out on how the newest outfit for the Stars and Stripes will go over.

"The USA jersey feels very patriotic," said Los Angeles designer and stylist Estée Stanley of Estée Stanley Design. "It's easy to identify the country as the U.S."

The U.S. isn't the only nation trying the block style.

"Another stylish direction is the color-blocking or piecing — USA away or Ecuador away or Colombia," said Tom Julian, men's fashion director at The Doneger Group, a retail merchandising and consulting firm based in New York.

Then there are the classics.

Brazil will be in the traditional yellow with five stars representing its record five titles.

Several teams are all about understated looks: There are England's white home jersey and red road kit — like the one players wore in the victorious 1966 final against West Germany — and the traditional blue of Italy with the a crest over the heart in the nation's tricolor.

They contrast sharply with Croatia, which sports a bombastic home shirt with large red-and-white checks.

Four years ago, Slovenia sported green road jerseys with large yellow zigzags for road games in a look reminiscent of Charlie Brown.

Some teams have gone for subtle patterns that still stand out. El Tri's lightning bolts on both jerseys will make Mexico fashionable as the team travels around Brazil.

"I am definitely partial to those shirts with daring superhero graphics or shirts that focus on the torso in a dynamic way," Julian said. "Mexico, very 'Shazam!' with the lightning-rod effect — probably my favorite out of all."

Plenty of supporters are flocking into Brazil wearing the new outfit.

"The jersey's like a Power Ranger, I like it," said 28-year-old architect Alan Gonzalez, of Durango, Mexico. He sported the jersey and a sombrero traveling to Sao Paulo via Atlanta with four buddies Tuesday.

Cameroon's forest-green, art-inspired jersey with the look of etchings makes a bold statement for the small African nation.

In the 2004 African Cup of Nations, Cameroon briefly used a track-style unitard. The one-piece outfit with green shirt and red shorts was quickly banned by FIFA before the 2006 World Cup.

The current kit is generating some positive attention.

"The Cameroon jersey is the cutest and most fashionable with an Ikat print," Stanley said.

And, of course, there's the attention to figure-flattering cuts and prints for some of the world's fittest athletes — who are known to celebrate a goal by flashing their rock-hard abdominals.

"The modified Henley — Brazil — is the most body conscious right now and represents the influence of the rock 'n' roll dresser. ... Netherlands away is very torso-enhancing," Julian said. "In activewear, color is an important part of the story, and it's great to see the brights well represented — from yellow and orange to green and red."

Some countries have nicknames based off their kits: France is known as Les Bleus after its classic navy home top. The Netherlands wears orange because it's the royal color — and are nicknamed "Oranje" because of it.

Chile's red home jersey with a blue collar and narrow white stripes down both sides of the neck should bode well for those looking to show off some flair in Brazil and beyond.

Julian calls Costa Rica's look, featuring almost a backward checkmark across the chest, "very space-age superhero" and Nigeria's two-toned green tops with subtle vertical stripes "very green villain."

"Soccer jersey styles are typical and expected with crewneck and polo shirt silhouettes," Julian said. "But the "Johnny collar" style — Chile home — is definitely on trend and a modern silhouette for today's active guy." ( Associated Press )

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Brazil held by feisty Mexico as Ochoa stands firm

Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa (2nd L) saves a header by Brazil's Thiago Silva (2nd R) during their 2014 World Cup Group A soccer match at the Castelao arena in Fortaleza June 17, 2014. REUTERS/Marcelo Del Pozo Jun 17 2014

Brazil held by feisty Mexico as Ochoa stands firm - Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa produced a series of superb reflex saves to restrict Brazil to a 0-0 draw at the World Cup on Tuesday and deny the Brazilians their 11th victory in a row.

In an absorbing Group A match in the deafening cauldron of Fortaleza's Castelao arena, Ochoa thwarted Paulinho, Neymar (twice) and Thiago Silva when they seemed certain to score.

He was the last Mexican player to leave the pitch to a standing ovation by thousands of green-shirted supporters before being named man of the match.

"We should congratulate their goalkeeper who performed at least four miracles," Brazilian striker Fred said after a frustrating afternoon for the hosts who failed time and again to unlock a stubborn Mexican defense.

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari described Ochoa's performance as "spectacular".

At the other end, the Mexicans had a few decent chances of their own in yet another entertaining game at this World Cup, and they could have snatched a victory had their long-range shots been more accurate.

Jose Vasquez, Hector Herrera and Miguel Layun all tried their luck with powerful drives from outside the box that zipped over Julio Cesar's crossbar.

The draw ended Brazil's 10-match winning streak, dating back to August when they lost to Switzerland in a friendly.

It also meant that to make the second round of the tournament both teams need points from their final group games on June 23 when Brazil face Cameroon in Brasilia and Mexico meet Croatia in Recife.

"There was a chance here, a chance there, it was very tight," Scolari said.

“It wasn’t a question of us evolving or not (from the last game). We’ve been playing this way 20 games, we are up against good teams, we need to understand that.”

CAUSING MISCHIEF

Brazil took control of the match from the outset with Marcelo and Oscar causing mischief down the left and Neymar showing bursts of brilliance when he drifted into the middle.

It was a Neymar header that forced the first of Ochoa's "miracles", the keeper scrambling across his line to beat the ball away at his right hand post.

Oscar floated a free kick into the box and Thiago Silva chested it down into the path of Paulinho with just the keeper to beat but again Ochoa got his body in the way and parried the ball to safety.

Brazil turned the screws after the interval against a Mexican side who have never beaten them at the World Cup and have failed to score a single goal against them in four meetings dating back to 1950.

With a passionate Brazilian crowd roaring them on, Neymar came close again, twisting inside his marker and firing in a left-foot shot which Ochoa blocked with his chest.

In the dying minutes Brazilian captain Thiago Silva looked certain to score with a point-blank header but again Ochoa was in the right place to beat the ball away.

Despite their setback, Brazil will be confident of booking their place in the last 16 by taking points from Cameroon.

The Mexicans, meanwhile, will feel their chaotic qualifying campaign is behind them and that they can get a point from Croatia to put them into the knock-out stages for the sixth consecutive World Cup. (Reuters)

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The World Cup for Mexico starts now

Tom Marshall: Herrera picks balanced roster for World Cup

The World Cup for Mexico starts now - Miguel Herrera announced his squad on Friday, with few real surprises among the 23 names, partly due to the lists that filtered through to the domestic press during the week, but also because the core of the coach’s thinking could be deducted from previous friendlies.

The overriding take from the squad list is that there is a healthy balance.

Older experienced heads like Carlos Salcido, Jesus Corona, Francisco Rodriguez and Rafa Marquez are mixed in with young talents such as Alan Pulido, Diego Reyes, Isaac Brizuela and Raul Jimenez. In between are a group of players either in or coming into their prime: Hector Moreno, Javier Hernandez, Giovani dos Santos, Andres Guardado, Miguel Layun and Oribe Peralta.

The average age of the 23 players is 27 years.

The balance in the squad is also positive in terms of positions.

Key here is Salcido, who can feature as a center back – as he did under Ricardo La Volpe in 2006 – in front of the defense as a holding midfielder – like he has at Tigres – or as a left wing back, although there would be questions about his pace and ability to get up and down the wing for 90 minutes at 34 years old.

The selection of the former Chivas player means Herrera has been able to select five center forwards, with Peralta, Hernandez, Dos Santos, Pulido and Jimenez all with a realistic shot of starting against Cameroon on Friday the 13th (of June) in Natal.

That is a substantial amount of firepower, but there was no last minute shock inclusion of Real Sociedad star Carlos Vela, who decided earlier this year that he didn’t want to be included in the squad.

“We are sorry that he hasn’t wanted to participate,” said Herrera in Friday’s press conference in Mexico City. “He made his decision.”

A total of 16 of Mexico’s 23 players are based domestically, but fans could breath a sigh of relief that the popular figures of Ochoa and Dos Santos were in the squad, with hints that their positions were by no means guaranteed and Herrera famously not including any foreign-based players in the intercontinental playoff against New Zealand last year.

Villarreal’s Javier Aquino will be bitterly disappointed that his good season in Spain wasn’t enough to get him in ahead of Brizuela and Marco Fabian, while Toluca’s Miguel Ponce can feel partially aggrieved that his recent form didn’t sneak him in past Bayer Leverkusen’s Andres Guardado, who has been patchy at best recently.

There must be some worry that none of Mexico’s midfield can boast previous World Cup experience, while of the 12 midfielders and strikers in the squad, only Hernandez and Dos Santos have played at the game’s pinnacle event.

There will also be questions asked about the form of Guardado, Rodriguez, Layun, Brizuela and Carlos Pena coming into the camp – which will begin May 12 and be at full strength by May 25 – but Herrera was adamant that it won’t be held against them and each player can challenge for a starting spot.

“Everyone will begin from zero,” he said.

The tension and pressure of selecting the 23 players is now over. The real work of crafting a team capable of producing a major shock and reaching the quarterfinals in Brazil is on.

Mexico’s friendlies ahead of Brazil

• Israel – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City – May 28
• Ecuador – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX – May 31
• Bosnia-Herzegovina – Soldier Field, Chicago, IL – June 3
• Portugal – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA – June 6

( goal.com )

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Mexico names seven World Cup reserves

Mexico names seven World Cup reserves - El Tri coach Miguel Herrera expanded his 23-player World Cup roster to 30 on Monday, as FIFA rules dictate, but made it clear the seven reserves will only be involved in Brazil in case of injury.

Goalkeeper Moises Munoz (America), Juan Carlos Valenzuela (America), Alonso Escoboza (Santos Laguna), Miguel Ponce (Toluca), Javier Aquino (Villarreal), Miguel Herrera (Pachuca) and Aldo de Nigris (Chivas) are on the standby list, having missed out when Herrera named his squad last Friday.

Herrera stated in a news conference Monday that the seven players won’t be joining up with the squad in its camp in Mexico City – which is already underway – but will keep up their fitness levels in case they are needed.

“I offered an apology to them for not being able to call them up,” Herrera said. “All seven have been very positive; the unconditional support for the national team is clear, they have accepted this with maturity.”

In the same news conference, details were also released about El Tri’s farewell game in the Estadio Azteca against Israel, which will also be a tribute to national team legend Cuauhtemoc Blanco.

The 41-year-old new Puebla signing will feature in the match, with a special dedication to his career taking place at halftime. ( goal.com )

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