Umbro England Away Collection

Umbro fuses football smartness with modern tailoring to create the new England Away kit in a classic navy colour

Umbro has combined English smartness with modern football tailoring to create the new England Away kit in a classic navy suiting colour. The new Away kit will be worn by the England senior squad for the first time against Holland on August 10^th, sees a return to blue – a colour which is synonymous with England and was first worn by the England team in the 1930s. Inspiration for the new shirt was taken from the blue caps given to England players as well as the original British passports, which were navy in colour. Similar to the design of the 2009 England Home shirt, the new away kit features a smart regatta blue pop out collar, detail inherent in Umbro football tailoring, whilst combining the performance elements required for the modern game.

Lightweight and breathable, the shirt uses mesh technology to increase the air flow to the body, updating a style that was first introduced in 1970 for the Mexico World Cup. The shirt is made using full polyester on the inside to help draw sweat away from the body and features a cotton outer to provide a smart appearance. Featuring a Raglan sleeve and darting over the top edge of the shoulder, the navy shirt maintains its shape whilst allowing freedom across the body.

“Myself and the England lads can’t wait to pull the new England Away kit on for the first time against Holland. Representing your country is one of the greatest honours for a player. Looking good gives you confidence on the pitch and it is great to have a new look with the navy blue,” commented England captain John Terry.

The shorts, in a lighter, blue regatta colouring, feature a side stretch mesh panel to aid ventilation. The short is straightened off to allow easy movement of the upper leg. The socks combine the blue of the shirt and short to complete the smart kit.

England manager Fabio Capello commented: “Blue is a strong colour and one which is part of the history and future of the England team. We face many difficult fixtures away from home this year and it is important for the team to look smart on and off the pitch.”

The new Away goalkeeper’s shirt (which we profiled here) references the strong graphical formations used on previous England kits and carries a formation of interlocking crosses which represent the flag of St George. The shirt is built from the latest in fabric technology in order to provide goalkeepers like Joe Hart with the best possible help on the pitch. With a simple, comfortable collar, the goalkeeper shirt is crafted from a special cotton fabric with panels built for stretch and movement, whilst the arms feature the same 360º pivot armhole to offer keepers maximum movement. The lower part of the arm on the shirt offers a tight fit offering articulation and compatibility with goalkeeping gloves.

England goalkeeper Joe Hart said: “The new goalie Away shirt is lively but I really like it and am looking forward to wearing it against Holland. The strip fits really well and it reminds me of some of the goalkeeper kits I used to see on my heroes when I was a kid.”

The wider on-pitch range will include two new Umbro anthem jackets – regatta blue for coaching staff and navy for players – which will be worn when they walk out onto the pitch. Tailored to compliment the kit and provide comfort for the players, the anthem jacket stays in line with the sense of smartness provided by the new kit.

In keeping with its tailoring heritage, Umbro has continued to provide shirts in chest sizes so that each England fan can experience a tailored fit. The kit will be worn by every level of the England team from juniors to seniors including the women’s team.