France’s quest to become the first nation to simultaneously hold both the men’s and women’s World Cup titles ended on Friday evening in Paris.
After their 100% record in the group stage and a last sixteen victory over Brazil, France met a Megan Rapinoe inspired USA in the quarter-finals, and sadly succumbed to a 2-1 defeat.
That means we’ve seen the last of the hosts’ bold and strong, yet sophisticated and distinctly feminine shirts.
Nike’s first choice French kits were a Tricolore of blue shirts with elegant rose gold details, white shorts and red socks as fashion and football aligned perfectly at the Women’s World Cup.
Yet that wasn’t even the best of it.
France’s jaw-dropping away kit, with its chic hexadot pattern referenced the country’s hexagonal shape and the polka-dot styles of French fashion.
It also featured what may be the most beautiful pair of football socks ever made.
Football socks.
Chaussettes de foot.
Why do, so few people notice or get nostalgic about football socks?
It’s a real shame we only saw that kit in action once when it was unnecessarily crowbarred in against Brazil.
Great football shirts need glorious moments to be remembered as true classics.
These France kits could have been iconic, but hey, c’est la vie.
Sartorial Soccer 