The yellow jersey. Called Amarelinha or Little Yellow One, the home shirt for the most successful football team in the world represents the exuberant pride of the nation and is as recognizable as the country’s flag.
“Football is so ingrained in Brazil, it dissolves into the culture. It’s hard to capture the meaning of the relationship between Brasilians and the sport,” says Peter Hudson, former Creative Director who worked on Nike football apparel for seven years. “I think you have to go to events, be at a match, look players in the eye on the starting line to really appreciate what it means.”
The Brazil national team home jersey wasn’t always yellow. It took a devastating defeat in the 1950 final at home to initiate a color scheme change.
After wearing white and blue for half a century, the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) debuted a new kit in yellow, green and blue — the colours of Brazil’s flag — in 1954, designed by the winner of a national newspaper competition.
The new colors stuck.
Nike started making kits for CBF in 1997, after signing on as the team’s official apparel sponsor the year prior.
1996 marked Nike’s first jersey for the Brasil national team
The 1998 CBF jersey with iconic shoulder stripes that also appeared on the football warmup jacket, now the N98 Jacket.
The classic T-shirt design of the 2000 CBF jersey was faithful to the team’s traditional kit.
Nike introduced two-layer Cool Motion technology and a strong design aesthetic in 2002.
The 2004 Brazil kit featured evolved technology and a centered crest.
The 2006 design incorporated cultural details and a new interpretation of the crew neck collar.
New design details for 2008 included a V-neck collar and hemline accents.
2010‘s Brazil shirt harkened back to the 1998 kit with a prominent green shoulder stripe.
The 2011 jersey featured engineered ventilation and an ergonomic fit.
The 2012 kit celebrates Jeitinho Brasileiro – The Brazilian way – the spirit that encompasses the team’s resilient, creative and innovative approach.
The 2013 jersey has a classic rib collar in green with a V inset.
The enlarged crest on the 2014 yellow jersey represents players’ pride and passion for their country.
