Perfect time for more from
my blog! 
Follow, I beg you.
When you think of the French national team, you think of Michel Platini in blue with pinstripes, Zinedine Zidane in white with red and blue stripes on his shoulders, and Thierry Henry in blue with a red stripe across his abdomen. No matter what, it has been adidas providing Les Bleus with their kit. Now, Nike will pay the French Football Federation an estimated $435 million over seven years (four times as much as the previous deal with adidas) for that right.
The new shirt, though, is about much more than just fashion. The collared jersey is a classy dark blue, with the only red hidden inside the sleeve. The crest is white instead of the usual gold and lacks any other aesthetic details. A random stylistic choice by Nike? Not so much.
France failed miserably at the 2010 World Cup; a proud footballing nation was reduced to tabloid drama. Nicolas Anelka cursed at coach Raymond Domenech and was sent home, later being banned for 18 games. Patrice Evra was caught on camera having to be restrained during an argument with a coach, and the entire team refused to practice that day. After being unceremoniously dumped from the World Cup without a win, the entire Cup squad was suspended from the team's first friendly by new coach Laurent Blanc .
Blanc has an idea in his head. A picture of how he wants his players to act, play and, now, look. Having played in the flowing system of Barcelona himself, Blanc likes possession football. He's admitted to liking the way Spain keeps the ball and "imposes their style on other teams." In a Nike promotional video, he explained why he likes this style, saying "it's safer when you keep the ball." The new shirt is consistent with his philosophy. Blanc is focusing on the sum of his parts, eliminating the selfish play that derailed France's World Cup. The shirt's simplicity puts the focus not on those who wear it, but on the game itself. And yet, there is a bit of flair hidden under the sleeve, ready to be revealed.
)
