football typography

Warning: design orientated geek content

While watching the finals of the world cup, I found myself swithering between which team I should support. Having a half italien, as my other half, meant it had to be italy. But as the game commenced I found myself looking more at words on the backs of the players shirts, than the game itself (which wasn’t really that attractive.)

France was sporting its letter in 70’s Triline Pump with a rather strange looking bauhaus-like type for the player’s names. Pump, with its curvy frame and 70’s style, kept grabbing my eye and telling my brain how nice and funky the french were.

The Italien’s had a rather different style than any other team. Using Dalton Maag’s custom made Puma Pace gave them a very 80’s tron-esque appearance that was rather out of place on an Italian’s back.

What both these fonts are trying to convey is, however, not the team, but the brand who makes the football shirts. Puma Pace was, unsurprisingly, designed for Puma who used it on all their football shirts and the bauhaus-esque was for Adidas. Pushing a brand through cultural identity and individual names of players. That is the world cup for you!