In a week largely dominated by the release of the new Adidas MLS jerseys, this round-up focuses on a player who often dominates the headlines, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Recently crowned Fifa World Player of the Year, the Manchester United star has registered the trademark ‘CR9’ at the National Institute of Industrial Property in Lisbon.
The digits ‘CR9’ were copyrighted last month in his Portuguese homeland to be used on merchandise or as the name for a restaurant or bar.
Of course, like anything that Ronaldo does, speculation about a possible transfer has been further fuelled.
Ronaldo also has a sponsorship deal with a Portuguese bank giving them exclusive marketing rights if he goes to Spain. Therefore the gossipers are suggesting Ronaldo, who already owns the rights to ‘CR7’, is planning to wear the number 9 jersey at Real Madrid, as club captain Raul is said to be unwilling to give up the number 7 shirt at the Spanish giants.
Further rumours are suggesting that the player, and the club, are sworn to silence over a secret agreement that would see Ronaldo leave Old Trafford – a year after the original saga looked set to take him to Spain.
Elsewhere the Polish news website TVN24 has released the first image of Poland’s temporary Nike home shirt which is planned to be worn in the friendly against Wales on February 11th.
This home shirt is temporary because of “manufacture template issues”, and that’s why Nike will provide Poland with an outdated template design against Wales.
Nike will be supplying the Polish national team with football equipment until 2014 after both parties agreed a kit deal until 2014. The deal was agreed in November 2008, and back then they stated that the new Polish home kit would be revealed early January 2009.
Some noticeable differences include the absence of the Polish white eagle crest, a traditional icon on Polish shirts. Instead the ‘Polska’ red wing logo takes its place, an idea which former kit manufacturer Puma tried to implement until Polish fans demanded the white eagle back.
Additionally PSV have signed a new kit deal with their current manufacturer Nike. The club from Eindhoven extended the contract with the sportswear manufacturer with six years until the summer of 2015. Nike has provided kits for PSV since 1995.
For further shirt news, remember footballshirtculture.com is the place to be.
By James Bailey
