EDMONTON — Three of Canada’s top soccer players abandoned the pitch Friday to unveil new 2015 national team jerseys set in red and accentuated by ice.
Desiree Scott, Emily Zurrer and Julian de Guzman modelled the new national home jerseys in front of fans and young players at a store in West Edmonton Mall.
The jerseys are bright red with white collars and white horizontal piping along the chest above centred white numbers.
They go with red socks and red shorts.
"We kept it extremely classic when it comes to the home kit," said Mike Shoemaker of uniform designer Umbro.
He said they kept the Canadian flag on the back neck and the Canadian anthem soundwave stitched into the lower hip.
It has a new white font for the numbers and names, crafted to resemble designs carved and chipped from ice to honour Canada’s North.
The jerseys will soon be getting dirty.
Canada hosts the FIFA Women’s World Cup in June and the men will compete this year in World Cup qualifiers.
Scott says they’ll be ready for the World Cup, which will see Canada open the tournament against China on June 6 at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.
"This is every athlete’s dream. We put on this jersey and we’re proud to play, but now we’re coming to our home soil and we’re playing one of the biggest tournaments in our backyard," said Scott.
"We’re prepping every day. We’re 77 sleeps away from the biggest tournament of our lives.
"We’re looking forward to having the fans in the stands, filling up that stadium and just being our 12th man out there."