CONSIDERING THE POLITICAL climate in Spain currently, everything seems precariously balanced.
With well-documented divisions between Catalonia and Madrid, it’s certainly not going to take much for either side to be drawn into more animosity.
As was the case earlier this week.
It seemed a pretty innocuous event: the launch of the official jersey Spain will wear at next summer’s World Cup in Russia.
But, it’s led to more controversy and chaos.
The manufacturers – Adidas – were inspired by the design of the 1994 World Cup shirt and borrowed heavily from it for this one.
So, it includes some red, blue and yellow diamond shapes that run vertically down the right side.
Spain's kit for Russia next summer features colours of 1930s republic flag #timing pic.twitter.com/fnTiABaYHC
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) November 6, 2017
So far, so fair.
However, some feel that that the dark blue colour veers into purple territory. And purple has deep-rooted and contentious historical connotations.
While the Spanish flag is red and yellow, the Republican flag – still used today by those who oppose the monarchy – also includes purple and critics of the new jersey design have been quick to point fingers.
They say that the purple on the shirt conjures up memories of the country’s Second Republic, which lasted from 1931 until 1939, and of the wider Civil War.
Purple? Blue? Row over Spain's new shirt plus Barça's latest transfer target in today's #tsfp Morning Paper Review.https://t.co/8JxtlYPVqY pic.twitter.com/4MBjEgqHcN
— Spanish Football Pod (@tsf_podcast) November 7, 2017
Adidas and the Spanish Football Association issued a statement on Tuesday and tried to exert some calm.
The shirt that the Spanish team will wear during the 2018 World Cup, does not have any political connotations”.
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That country is becoming a basquet case.
Its purple alright. Doubt they were making a political statement though.
Isn’t the away colours for Real Madrid, Spain’s capital’s team, purple?, or at least isn’t there purple in the trim of their home jersey? Does that also mean Real Madrid have links to the republican, anti monarchy movement? Doubt it.
@Jonathan Nolan: if you look at Real Madrid’s crest you will find the same colour as the trim . As for the other question you posed the answer is in the clubs very name .. Real means Royal ..
Ah stop, what a load of shite!
It’s actually blue but looks like purple on camera . The Spanish football federation are being investigated for corruption at the highest level the president is out on bail . I imagine they spent little time looking at the fine details ( while signing with Adidas for another 10 years or so) . A bit of a PR ballsup at the first view . However all is not lost because some political commentators have jumped in at the deep end people are now pledging to buy the jersey to spite them. Never a dull moment over here !