France’s light green away kit drives World Cup sales surge | OneFootball

France’s light green away kit has irked purists but delighted shoppers, with stock disappearing around the World Cup. France, who play Spain on Tuesday night, introduced it as this year’s second strip.

Intersport, the FFF’s main retail partner, sold 33,000 shirts last week, according to Le Figaro. Demand has outstripped supply across official channels.

Traditionally the second shirt was white, but the FFF, working with Nike, adopted a first ever light green this year. Officially the colour nods to the verdigris of the Statue of Liberty, gifted by France in 1886, with this tournament staged largely in the United States.

Marketing logic is also at play, and not everyone inside the federation was convinced. Some feared fans would struggle to accept the change.

Instead, the Liberté design sold out before France had even worn it at this World Cup, then used it against Norway and Morocco. It swiftly vanished from Nike’s site, the FFF’s shop and partner retailers.

A restock early last week sold out within a day. The base shirt costs 110 euros, rising to 185 euros for the players version with name and number.

Frustrated fans are turning to lookalike counterfeits, with buyers saying quality has improved markedly in recent years. Some are paying about 20 euros.

Many chasing the authentic item are still waiting and may not find one before the tournament ends. It could be worth holding on, after 19 July it might appear with another star.

Source: Le Progres