PUMA unveiled yesterday, March 19, its most powerful international football kit collection to date on the streets of New York City, in an event that brought together journalists, influencers and content creators from around the world. Open to the public and already immersed in the growing global excitement surrounding the competition, the moment made it clear that the World Cup begins long before the opening whistle — in the way each nation presents itself to the world.

The collection includes Home and Away kits for 11 national teams: Portugal, Morocco, Ghana, Paraguay, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Switzerland, New Zealand, Austria and Egypt, reinforcing the brand’s position as one of the leading players in international sport.

Portugal takes the field with the Sardine

Each kit was designed to express the character of the nation it represents. In Portugal’s case, the Home kit draws inspiration from the Atlantic, featuring wave patterns that convey movement and energy, while the Away kit explores a more fluid and contemporary language, inspired by the country’s maritime heritage.

In a context where each nation sought to condense its identity into a single symbol, Portugal was represented through a deeply recognisable cultural object: the sardine — transforming a traditional product into a contemporary language capable of moving within a global context without losing authenticity. This choice was brought to life during the event itself, where PUMA offered all attendees a tin of preserves from the Fantastic World of the Portuguese Sardine, materialising this narrative in a direct and tangible way, further reinforced by the Portuguese brand’s store that, since 2023, has represented Portugal in Times Square, New York.

As the World Cup approaches and establishes itself as a global fever across streets, social media and culture, this launch reveals how football has also become a space for storytelling — intersecting with a tin of sardines that holds an entire country within it.