Werder Bremen clung onto their Bundesliga status by their fingernails this week, as they debuted a brand new shirt from Umbro.
Werder edged out 2nd tier Heidenheim on Monday night in a nervy promotion/relegation play-off second leg.
Heidenheim staff had banged drums, blew horns and sounded air sirens to generate some atmosphere in the behind closed doors encounter but after a goalless draw in Bremen, the home side had their work cut out after conceding an early own goal.
A late flurry of goals brought a dramatic finale, but Werder Bremen held on to a 2-2 draw to win on away goals and retain the position in Germany’s top-flight they’ve enjoyed since 1981.
Die Grün-Weißen wore a brand new Umbro shirt celebrating the city of Bremen, and the design predictably sold out in minutes.
The dark grey shirt with black sleeves hosts a collage of distorted aerial images from around the club’s Weserstadion across the chest, whilst Bremen’s flag features on the back of the collar.
Weirdly, Werder were founded by a group of students who won a tug-of-war contest for a football in 1899 and named themselves after the German word for the “river peninsula” fields were they played their first games.
See? Every day’s a school day.
The dark look with its red trim proved successful on and off the pitch on Monday night and although too brutal and busy for some, this weird Werder Bremen shirt by Umbro rightfully takes its place as our latest Kit of the Week.
Sartorial Soccer 