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Daily Women Football : Beyond the Pitch Episode 112 - Every Fan's dream, Champions League final Ball, and Euros away kits
11 Plays9 days ago
Cate and Paige discuss the Connolly's buying a stake in Durham Women FC following a lottery win, the Champions League ball design and what it means and some of the away kits that Adidas dropped this week for some of the teams for WEuro 2025!
@gspnwomens
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Transcript
Sunny Day Podcasting and Italian Dreams
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, well, well. Hello and welcome to the Daily Women Football Podcast, Beyond the Pitch, brought to you by the Global Sport Podcast Network. Oh, what a great day today.
00:00:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah am so happy. First of all, because it's sunny and bright. And in the past, I don't know, gazillion of podcasts, I've always recorded in the evening and I look dark and grey and so is the outside.
00:00:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
And secondly, I am podcasting with my favorite fake Italian.
00:00:41
Paige
fake Italian now I thought I was the original Italian a fine my yeah I'm on 36 days stronger my Duolingo I'll be there soon yeah
00:00:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
happy The only OG Italian of the podcast. When are you joining us for the Italian podcast, by the way?
00:00:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bravo, bravo, Pagina, bravo. Anyway... Anyway, ah I'm so happy we haven't podcasted together for
Lottery Win and Football Dreams
00:01:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
ages.
00:01:05
Paige
I know I know too long
00:01:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh anyway ah So three topics as usual today's podcast. We will be talking about every fan's dream, but definitely would be mine and definitely would be something I would do as well.
00:01:16
Paige
Yeah. Yeah.
00:01:19
Paige
yeah
00:01:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Talking balls and then Adidas Women's Euro kit drops. And this, there is something massive that I have to say about it. Well, like as usual, I always have something to say about anything anyway.
00:01:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
But let's start with the very first topic. So every fan's dream, or at least a lot of us, Basically, a little of contest. What happened? Patrick and Frances Connelly hit the lottery jackpot. They won 115K. And what did they do?
00:01:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
not a house, not a car, not a holiday. but Well, maybe they also did something like that.
00:01:56
Paige
Thank you.
00:01:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
But they actually bought a percentage, so a 25% stake in the Durham Women Football Club, which is their club. Yes!
Relationships and Lottery Winners
00:02:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
just going to put it out there, Patrick or Francis, if one of you is single.
00:02:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Give me a call.
00:02:17
Paige
If one of you is single, considering they bought it as a couple together, maybe you could be a throuple with them. They might be interested in that. Give some Italian season into their relationship.
00:02:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, well, you know, 2025, let's not box things in, you know, the way used to be 50 years ago.
00:02:29
Paige
it
00:02:33
Paige
Yeah, exactly.
00:02:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
involved. We are woke all over. Anyway, let's back into the topic.
Aspiring Football Management
00:02:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I think it's fantastic. and Not going to lie. It is something I have, you know, considered, you know, when I when i started my career into football, my the idea was for me to, well,
00:02:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
The reason why I started is because I wanted to become a general manager of a football team and then eventually maybe having my own small team. Very inspired by Alison, who is the, if sorry, Nicole, who is the owner of ah Worcester City, women's football, who did exactly that journey. um Yeah, and and I think he's doing incredible.
00:03:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah, I mean... that's that's That's crazy. i mean, what a dream come true for sure, right?
Durham's Independence and Ambitions
00:03:23
Paige
Yeah, I mean, first of all, to win 115,000, you know, that's one dream come true, I'm sure, to win any sort of jackpot lottery. But yeah, I think just having the opportunity to to like buy a football club, obviously not a full football club, but like buy something that you support so heavily, like this is their team, they watch them week in, week out, you know, and...
00:03:45
Paige
They're a small club in terms of their independence from being you know associated or affiliated with any men's team, which there's only two in the championship that are like completely independent of men's football, which one is great and to see them in the championship and then potentially being able to push on um into the WSL. like They're currently fourth in the championship. So they're really like they're really on the cusp of doing something amazing.
00:04:09
Paige
um And I think obviously Patrick and Francis, their hope is to you know the support support the the development of the club, building a new stadium, which ultimately will bring more revenue for this independent club and the hopes of them progressing into the WSL in you know maybe years to come, sooner than rather than later, I'm sure, from their perspective.
00:04:32
Paige
And yeah, I just think it's just awesome. like I think everybody would want to have some sort of an investment in their own football club in that capacity if they could. like Especially...
00:04:44
Paige
it being a women's team, your local club, like, it must just feel so so amazing to be able to do that. One for, like, such a and local team to you, one that you've supported and one that you know that investment can go so far.
00:04:57
Paige
um Yeah, I'm excited to see what happens as a result of it.
Cross-pollination in Football Strategies
00:05:01
Paige
Go ahead. get They need a program. Get them a TV show.
00:05:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think so. they it There's a few things I would like to say in this, but I'm conscious of timing and I know I always talk too much. ah But...
00:05:14
Paige
No, you. No.
00:05:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
but I got an award for it though. Anyway, um no, I, you know, like I've said it so many times, cross-pollination is the only way to innovate. I've learned that when I worked in technology, fashion is picking up on that, thankfully, in the past few years. Technology has done it long before.
00:05:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's so forward thinking about it. And I'm so glad to see the football, especially women football, is now open to that. So I think because it's been so downgraded for so many years,
00:05:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
that if they would have bought a stake in a men's football team, yeah, sure, great, et cetera. I think they probably would have had less press, less support from the community, less everything. But you do something for women's football team, the whole community come out and about, and I really love that.
00:06:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
I really love that you can be experimental.
00:06:14
Paige
Yeah.
00:06:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
And let's not downplay – I'm not saying you are in general. Let's not now not downplay any of this because – The same structure. So
00:06:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going into a journey here, but the same strategy that can be applied in any other business can be applied in a football team, right?
Club-Community Relationships and Growth
00:06:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Would it be marketing? It could be e-commerce. It could be strategy, anything.
00:06:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we can see some of the the football team doing it very well. Mine being one of them from a business point of view, right?
00:06:50
Paige
Hell yeah.
00:06:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
From business point of view. And Brighton too.
00:06:51
Paige
the um From any other point of view, Spurs aren't doing anything well.
00:06:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brighton.
00:06:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
I said business point of view.
00:06:55
Paige
But business! Yeah.
00:06:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brighton as well. Brighton, incredible with regard to business-wise. Yeah, it's football team men and women, both. So um the point is that by having people that come in with a freshen look, with a different thing, with bringing new idea, with the fact that they are not thinking like, well, that's the way we've always done it. And it's like yeah, it doesn't work.
00:07:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's move on with time. You can see what happened at Wrexham. Yes, sure. Sure, the push of money in the fact that you know you've got a super mega celebrity as an owner that leverage all the people that he knows, you know the demand the the marketing, the material, you know the exposure.
00:07:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sure, it helps. But it also helps to show that you put some effort in there because he didn't just go like, OK, bam, bam, bam, let's spend all the money and let's go. They've built it, right?
00:07:47
Paige
Yeah.
00:07:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've built it with the community. They were very careful about it.
00:07:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
And look at what happened. It's incredible.
00:07:51
Paige
Right.
00:07:53
Paige
Yeah.
00:07:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's beautiful.
00:07:54
Paige
Yeah. It's a lot more organic the way that they've done it even though, yes, as you say there, there's a massive influx of celebrity and finance into it. They've also chosen a club that has such a community sort of feel about it in the first instance.
00:08:10
Paige
Like, I think even watching like the programme, I've not watched every single episode of the series, but like you can already see that Wrexham was in we' built into people's day-to-day lives. And I think when you've got...
00:08:21
Paige
you know, clubs all across the country that are already built into those communities. It's just having then that business or that money influx that then bolsters that. And yeah, you're right. You could probably do it with any club if you did it in the right way and you recognised what the community loves about it, what the community needs from it, and really supporting that as a development strategy.
Female Investment in Football
00:08:43
Paige
So...
00:08:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's what I love. And I hope they are going to do the same. So, you know, Durham is a beautiful place. It's, but you know, it's a small place as well, the same as Wrexham. It's not one of those places that, you know, it can become like, it's, you know, it's not catered to hold as many people, for example, as a city like Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, of course, London, or the bigger cities.
00:08:53
Paige
Yeah.
00:09:04
Paige
Yeah.
00:09:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you have to be very conscious about how you're building this type of thing. That's what I'm saying.
00:09:10
Paige
Yeah.
00:09:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, you can learn so much from business. I mean, I say this very often, you know, I love the intersection between football and business and the fact that there is so much space to innovate in in the football, especially, of course, women's football is super open to it. You can see what, you know, the new core WPLL is doing with all these innovative ideas, which are not, they are innovative in football, but they are not innovative. It's like, yeah, other industries have done it before because it's obvious.
00:09:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just, it's not obvious in football. But anyway, I'm very excited. I'm very much looking forward to, you know, um following their journey and see what they're going to do. And it's just it's just very, very, very exciting.
00:09:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
On the other side of the pond, if I'm not wrong, yeah, the the other side, just crossing the Atlantic on the other side, we have another news, which is you go for a good time.
00:09:55
Paige
Yeah. Yeah.
00:10:02
Paige
Yeah. so ah Thames, Nigerian born singer, who obviously a lot of people in the UK will be familiar with, is the first born African woman to become an owner in the um MLS, which I think tick, yeah, tick, celebrate, round of applause, et cetera.
00:10:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Woo!
00:10:21
Paige
um So her company, leading The Leading Vibe, have joined the San Diego FC, which is an expansion team who will make their debut in the 25-26 season.
00:10:32
Paige
So a super exciting, obviously, season ahead for them. but I just think another another mention and another opportunity to sort of shout out the fact that like more women are getting involved in football, like that cross intersection football.
00:10:45
Paige
like media and and sport. I think Tem says, you know, the reason that she wanted to to sort of get involved in this investment was purely because her brothers are heavily like invested in football. Like most sisters, they have brothers who love football. Maybe they never had that love, but you know, she's then found the platform to be able to then support. And I think it's just exciting to have more women involved in football and especially then in the men's game and taking it global as well um being in the um MLS which obviously that the way that they do things with the expansion teams and stuff is like a really new and fresh not new necessarily but like fresh take compared to obviously what we have here in the UK so yeah it's it's just another shout out to more women doing great things within the sports space and having the platform to be able to do it I'm sure like I don't know what sort of
00:11:38
Paige
ownership percentage, et cetera, that she has. But, you know, I'm sure she's got a really core and great group around her that are going to be able to sort of lead that investment in in the right way. And we'll see what San Diego FC have to to sort of say and to do over the the coming seasons. But we wish them all the best of the luck and shout out Thames for making that step.
Sustainable Sports Innovations
00:12:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Second topic of the day, we are talking about the Women's UEFA Champions League Ball.
00:12:47
Paige
but Yeah, like I
00:12:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
What is woo-woo? Yeah, be more excited. You pick this topic. Woo-woo.
00:12:55
Paige
No, I just think that this is um like ah just an exciting part of football that, to me, like footballs as as an item are embedded so much within like my childhood.
00:12:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Woo-woo.
00:13:09
Paige
And I was always so excited to see like what the new ball was for like the new Premier League season or... the Champions League, et cetera, et cetera. And a lot of these balls have kind of got a like nostalgic vibes to them.
00:13:23
Paige
Like I could go on and talk about the new Total 90 ball, like the new release of that. Like, I just think it's so cool. And there's so much nostalgia that come with balls because when you see them, you think of a season. And obviously, we're now talking about the Women's Champions League. But like, I think again, you know, in years to come, we might look back at this ball and be like, oh, dude that's the ball that was the, I don't know, the Arsenal winning in ball or something. Do you know what i mean? Like, I think they they give such nostalgic memories and moments. And yeah, we can't have football without an actual football. So why not? Let's talk about it.
00:13:57
Paige
um So yeah, Adidas unveiled the new official UEFA Champions League ball, Women's Champions League ball. ahead of the tournament's knockout stages. So if you haven't already seen the ball, I definitely suggest you give it a Google, have a search, maybe check out our Instagram because we'll have it posted on there. But um the ball features like a striking in design which pays homage to the host city, which is...
00:14:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah But can we say it in a proper way? Not in the English way.
00:14:22
Paige
Go ahead. Go ahead.
00:14:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Lesboa.
00:14:26
Paige
Lisboa! So white and blue base accented by geometric designs inspired by the capital of Portugal's Azelios?
00:14:38
Paige
Azulios? Come on, am I a Portuguese?
00:14:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
What is it? I don't speak Portuguese. I speak Spanish.
00:14:43
Paige
Well, basically
00:14:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
But i I'm going to say this probably Azulejos.
00:14:48
Paige
Azuleios. Azuleios, yes.
00:14:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
I would think so.
00:14:52
Paige
Azuleios. So intricately painted ceramic tiles which decorate buildings throughout the city. We've all seen them. If you've been to Portugal, if you've been around, you've probably watched programs. Yeah, they're everywhere. um So this season's Match Balls have been the most sustainable that Adidas has ever produced, which again, another massive round applause. this This episode is just a round of applause, honestly.
00:15:15
Paige
So it's made using recycled polyester and water-based ink. Ink. let Let that sink in. And in addition...
00:15:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, let the ink sink in.
00:15:25
Paige
Let the ink sink in. um Sink ink. Wow. Anyway, um in addition, each layer of the bulb features eco-friendly materials such as corn fibres, sugar cane, wood pulp, and rubber.
00:15:37
Paige
Okay? Again, like, we're ticking boxes over here. We're doing bits for the environment. But despite the change in in materials, the three stripes, as always, did not skimp on the technology.
00:15:50
Paige
A debossed surface allows for improved precision aerodynamics, whilst an outer texture coating offers secure grip and complete control. So you know there's going to be no one with any, any, any complaints about the ball.
00:16:05
Paige
I'm telling you now. Even Mikel Arteta, who wants to complain about every single ball.
00:16:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I can't...
00:16:09
Paige
But anyway, hee hee.
00:16:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe he was... the Well, you know... I mean, in and I need to be careful here because obviously I'm a Spurs supporter. So when I talk about Arsenal, sometimes and i have to say I have to take my hat off and be very objective.
00:16:21
Paige
Are you? Oh.
00:16:25
Paige
Yeah.
00:16:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it could be that Adidas, considering they are sponsoring also and they collaborate with Arsenal, they might have asked him to test the ball to make sure it's not too light, you
00:16:37
Paige
Oh, God. Yeah, but...
UEFA and Eco-Conscious Initiatives
00:16:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
know.
00:16:40
Paige
Yeah, maybe. well I don't think Arteta will be performing in the Women's Champions League this year, so maybe they look to to others to get it tested.
00:16:49
Paige
But anyway...
00:16:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, mean, you know, as ah as ah is um you know as ah i you say as a knowledgeable consultant, but why not?
00:16:57
Paige
yeah
00:16:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe they did. Anyway, no, on ah on not
00:16:59
Paige
There's a whining mess of a man who always blames everything for this team.
00:17:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
on a more serious note, two things to say. So I'm not planning to go to the final unless Chelsea is in there. So I am actually planning to go to the final because I think I think this is the year Chelsea is going to lift that trophy.
00:17:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So, yeah, most most likely ah will be there. and But oh no on another note, it's I think it's beautiful um how very aware Nowadays, you know, brands, of course, there's always a bit of, you know, business behind a marketing return and, you know, whatever. But I love the fact that they are very, very aware that they're now very conscious and they go like, OK, wait a minute.
00:17:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, it's a ball, but. You know, where is the final? You know, let's have a look at the historical, you know, what is important in there. You know, let's let's respect the environment. Let's do all of that.
00:17:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know if you've seen it, that UEFA yesterday posted about the fact that every single team that is in the Champions League. This is across both genders. Yeah. We'll need to have an officer for sustainability.
00:18:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
They have to have a proper person as in like, it's not just like, oh yeah, we're looking to die.
00:18:12
Paige
Oh, really? Right.
00:18:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's like, no, no, no, no. If you are in the Champions League, some of the money that you get from the competition and is a lot, It's a lot. It needs to be allocated to that.
00:18:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, you know, like the Premier League in in, I think, in the past two years, for example, in England, has done has allocated funds for every club down to, I think, Tier 4 or even Tier 5, if I'm not wrong, to have a dedicated supporter officer
00:18:39
Paige
Wow.
00:18:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
so that they can develop their supporters, they can bring people back to the stadium, they can do all of that. And now the UEFA is doing very something very similar into the world of sustainability. it is It's beautiful to have a look at it. and would would Would we make a massive difference?
00:19:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, actually, we will. The more we are going to do things, you know, the more people will work on it, the more difference it will be. It can start from very small, sure, and it might not feel a lot, but then we'll have the triple effect.
00:19:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
So like, um you know, I RSVP to an event, ah you know, the Virtu, I think it's called. um final so which is played ah between the EFL's club I think Champions League first and championship EFL first and second tier ah is a ver Vertu trophy it's played at Wembley next month I think not April April
00:19:37
Paige
Alright.
00:19:42
Paige
Men's or women's?
00:19:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:19:44
Paige
Men's or women's?
00:19:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, men's, men's, sorry. But when I RSVP'd that, to the invite, it also asked, how far do you need to travel? them What method of transport will you be using?
00:19:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Will you be using your car at all? Will you be using only public transport?
Sustainable Travel for Matches
00:20:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the fact that people start to be a little bit more conscious of this. Now, we are talking about the finalists in Portugal, right?
00:20:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just read last No, this week, actually, a couple of days ago, that Portugal has introduced this pass for trains. have you so I don't know if you read it.
00:20:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Where for a certain amount of money, which is really cheap, I think it's something silly, like, I don't know, 30, 40 euros per month. You can use any train across the country so you can travel wherever by train.
00:20:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, imagine if we could do something like that in here.
00:20:36
Paige
Oh my gosh.
00:20:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm not saying, okay, 40 quid okay, wait, 40 quid is unsustainable in England.
00:20:37
Paige
Yeah.
00:20:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if there would be an option where if you know you're traveling for a month, you can buy a pass, which is not really expensive. You and cannot get like a super fast train. You need to get like a slower train. Like in Italy, you have a regional train, which is slightly slower.
00:20:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Fine, but people will travel in a more sustainable way. I love that. I love all of that thought behind it. I think it's beautiful.
00:21:05
Paige
Yeah, the the the consideration is great. And I think, yeah, I i think even similar, this is obviously going off on a little bit of a tangent, but theyre they were trying to do something similar for the Euros, for the women's Euros across Switzerland.
00:21:20
Paige
And I don't know if that's still happening, but we can talk about that maybe on the next episode. But well we were we will, we will, we will.
00:21:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, it will. will.
00:21:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, no, no. It will happen.
00:21:29
Paige
No, it will.
00:21:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
It will happen.
00:21:30
Paige
Okay, it will.
00:21:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, no, it will happen for sure.
00:21:31
Paige
Okay, cool.
00:21:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
So they already did it for the Euros in Germany, right? If you had the tickets, if you had a ticket for the game, you could travel. Like it doesn't matter.
00:21:41
Paige
Oh, okay.
00:21:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
It doesn't matter where from you could just travel to the games. As long as you can prove you had a ticket to the game, you were in one place of the country, you wanted to go to the game, you could travel.
00:21:51
Paige
Oh, okay.
00:21:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
again the same thing with their regional train so not the super fast ones but the one that take a little bit longer but to be honest very few people were checking trains because i was there and i was traveling and i am sure it will happen the same in switzerland so the same thing they have super fast train which are normally more expensive etc but i think everybody will be able to board the other train which is just beautiful
00:21:56
Paige
Yeah.
00:21:59
Paige
Right.
00:22:06
Paige
Yeah.
00:22:16
Paige
Yeah, 100%. Well, if you haven't already taken a look at the Women's Champions League war and you want to, please have a look.
Cultural Design in Football Kits
00:22:23
Paige
It is a work of art, as is the men's for Munich. Again, a similar take on it. But I just think, yeah, the nostalgia that footballs have and will continue to have is just a beautiful part of the game. And i love it.
00:22:39
Paige
And i hope you guys do too.
00:22:41
Paige
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spend a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencastr came out the clear winner with 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs.
00:22:55
Paige
It's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencastr.
00:23:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, Ian Castor. ah Anyway, last but not least in the last few minutes. Back again, talking about Adidas. Disclaimer, we are not sponsored by Adidas. We don't have anything done with Adidas. It just really happens today. We have this couple of topics. So Adidas, what did they do? Not only they dropped the ball for the Champions League, but also they dropped the women's Euro kit, including Spain, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Italy, and Wales.
00:23:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, if you think...
00:23:36
Paige
Can I just semicolon or asterisk, away kits. Just the away kits.
00:23:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah, yeah. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Yeah, the Awaked.
00:23:43
Paige
but Just in case, you know.
00:23:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, not, not, yeah. Sorry, sorry, sorry.
00:23:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, but that's fine. That's good. it's good It's good. It's good. The Awaked. Now, right. So, um what's very interesting for me an Italian is that Adidas also they did it for the main euro last year.
00:23:46
Paige
Just in case.
00:24:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're really playing with the green color of Italy. And I love that because and um um we I think Nat and i are going to do an Italian episode about it as well, about the origin of the blue color for the Italian. Because if you think about it, so our flag is red, white and green.
00:24:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, our t-shirt is blue. And that comes from like the very, very past royal colors. They used to use a lot of blue. Yeah, but it's like, let's move on. It's 2025.
00:24:27
Paige
Yep.
00:24:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, yes, yes. I love traditions, etc. And I know that, you know, the Italian team is called Iazzurri, which means, you know, the
00:24:47
Paige
Blues, right?
00:24:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
well e kind of like it means the light blue ones because the the blue ones are the French ones but yeah basically yes but I also think like yeah but like I don't know i like that so last year in the Euros they had also like ah I don't remember if it was like a ah like like an awake not and not an awake kid like a training kit or warming up kit or something that was green and I was like that is so beautiful
00:24:50
Paige
Yes, we know.
00:25:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think the feedback was really good about it. And that's why Adidas is playing on that because the away Italian kid is white and green and it's got all this Renaissance flavors and everything, but it plays with those, with the flags color.
00:25:17
Paige
So, yeah.
00:25:20
Paige
you are
00:25:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I love it.
00:25:34
Paige
So does a question for you as an Italian, as, you know, a far fake Italian, but you I'll get your input. um Does the colours of green, white, red resonate more with you than the colour of blue? Or is, well, blue always resonate with Italians, but you are also seeing maybe the opportunity to progress and just give a little bit of a new take on the flag. Okay.
00:25:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think it's a bit like that. Like, did i guess it also depends when you were born, right? So for me, if you may if you tell me, it's ah but for example, if you tell me England, yeah, for me, the England kid is red.
00:26:16
Paige
Okay.
00:26:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
that
00:26:16
Paige
Yeah.
00:26:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
For me, it's red. you know when When I see England playing is white in white, ah yeah, sure, it's nice. I get it. I understand that. But I really miss the red kit.
00:26:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
like that That's England for me. It's not white. But that's also because some of the very first games that I watched back in the days were played with the red kit.
00:26:39
Paige
yeah
00:26:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so for me, the white is, sure, yeah, the flag is red and white, so it's both. But then white and blue, I mean, fine, because it's like the Tottenham shirt, so I'm happy with the colors. But I just think, like, why?
00:26:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, where is that from? Like, I don't know.
00:26:56
Paige
Yeah.
00:26:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah So I think you're representing your country. It's nice that you also have a bit of, you know, heritage stuff in there. So, yes, the the thing is that, you know, in all the famous photos of Italy winning stuff, and and not just ah not just in football, yeah, rugby, athletics, everything, you know, obviously is the blue.
00:27:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
But then if I really look deep into it, the history and everything else, etc., I'm just like, i don't know, it's just weird. It's like, you know, they're all wearing this blue, you know, uniform or kit or set.
00:27:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then they are they are holding up this flag and it's like, ah yeah, it doesn't make any sense. So I don't know, maybe like starting to play a bit more into, i don't know.
00:27:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, blue, don't know, shifting away a little bit. I think we could do that. I really think we could do that, but i don't know. Let's see.
00:27:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think the Italian flag resonates more to me than the blue.
00:27:49
Paige
yeah
00:27:53
Paige
okay yeah i i mean as a collection of kits i actually think they're really really really beautiful like i think the colors that they've used the palettes that they've used for each kit like they're very
00:28:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:08
Paige
This sounds so woke, but they're very gender neutral in the fact that I think even the Welsh kit, which to me, that lilac colour is very more feminine. I think with the green, like, and probably the also the way it's styled, like, on the Adidas campaign and stuff and put on a boy. Like, I really think it looks so good.
00:28:26
Paige
And all of the visuals for all of them, I think is really cool. The fact that they've kind of, they all kind of have their own individual personality and they've all been styled. Like I can imagine people, any of these people go into a football match dressed in the way that they're dressed.
00:28:39
Paige
And I think that that's what I love and what the sort of the new wave of football kits and the possibilities of them is like styling them. Whenever I go to a game, my mom's always like, why do you have to dress up so much? You're only going to a football match. And it's like, yeah, but like I want to wear my shirt, but I don't just want to wear it like a hoodie and a shirt over the top, which is like traditionally what people would always have worn um or just obviously no hoodie at all because it's summer at that point or whatever. But yeah, I think the kits are are awesome. And I would definitely encourage if you haven't already, go and take a look. They're obviously posted all over Adidas' website, all on their socials, et cetera.
00:29:15
Paige
And you can find out sort of a little bit more about them as we've already kind of gone into a little bit about the Italian kind of kit being about that sort of ah realism, naturalism movement of the Renaissance period.
00:29:27
Paige
You've got obviously the Spain um rooted in Cubism movement of the 20th century creating abstract visuals. um There's like so much interest that you can take from each of the kits and Yeah, I'm obviously I'm excited and eager to look at, you know, well, first of all, what the home kits look like for IDDS and for the those countries, but also to see what Nike bring out um for the remaining countries.
Appreciating Adidas' Creative Campaigns
00:29:53
Paige
But Yeah, i'm i I definitely love the ones that they've brought out so far. And I always, i feel often are disappointed with what England end up wearing because I think we focus too much on being white.
00:30:07
Paige
And it really jars me because I do think that there's so much more to our country than just white kits. I think if you look back on some of the best tournaments that England men, let's say, because that's where we often like our focus turns but like I remember that there was like a red and a navy blue kit which you could like it was reversible so you could wear red on one side and navy blue on the other and I just think that like even just bits like that like that's a kit that I can go back to and I remember and the red kit with sort of like, kind of look like stars or dots on them. Like some of those kits were actually unreal. And I think even the women's Lioness one that they brought out, which was kind of like that deeper red, that was like a a Lioness sort of exclusive one. I just think there's so much more you can do when you don't just have a white shirt.
00:30:54
Paige
um But saying that you have teams like Real Madrid, who I think absolutely smash their white kits year on year. So i don't know. I'm excited to see hear what we've got.
00:31:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
but but that's the color But that's the color I think when I think of Real Madrid. I don't think any other the color.
00:31:08
Paige
Yeah, exactly.
00:31:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think any other color.
00:31:09
Paige
You can't.
00:31:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've always seen them playing with some sort of white. It's fine.
00:31:14
Paige
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:31:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, it's like, I don't, I really, yeah.
00:31:16
Paige
But I think they do it well. That's what I'm saying. They do a white kit well. But I don't know that England do so much.
00:31:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're a bit of an Adidas fan, really.
00:31:26
Paige
I'm not.
00:31:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
You are.
00:31:28
Paige
Actually, I'm...
00:31:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
because the But it's not Adidas as in like the brand itself, but as in like the full behind it and how they design it. This is not just about the brand.
00:31:36
Paige
Oh, yeah.
00:31:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, I want...
00:31:38
Paige
The storytelling of all brands really is smashing it right now.
00:31:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, like before we close this episode, I want to say something. I want to credit every single person that works on this shoot because I used to work in this. I used to be a hairstylist. I used to be a production. i used to work with the makeup artist.
00:31:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I used to work with the stylist. And to pull together something like that that looks so casual. So like, you know, if I see like, if I have a look at the main photo, so like that Adidas put out as marketing to present all of the kit,
00:32:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
four, five, six, seven, there's eight people in there and they all look like eight men, eight mates standing there just chilling and everything is so thought through, you know, everybody's styled in their own way, every, you know, from the way the socks are.
00:32:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
in some on someone's leg, you know, slightly down, not really up or all the way up, etc. Everything is thought through. There is so much creative process behind it, not just the designing of the kit, but also the presentation.
00:32:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
and how the hair is styled and how the makeup is done, everything. And I just wanted to credit all of the creative because it looks like, yeah, it's just so easy, but there is literally so much creative thought behind it.
00:32:45
Paige
Take
00:32:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And sometimes when I look this day, I'm just like, oh, I really miss it. Maybe I should go back into that. And just now that football is moving so much into fashion or fashion is moving so much into football, especially the women's one,
00:33:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's yeah it's for me it's so good to see my two what was it to see my two worlds you know like blending together like that i'm just like oh yeah ah finally so anyway yeah well done but sadly sadly i think this is all we have time for today so thank you for joining us on another episode of beyond the pitch
00:33:11
Paige
take me on the journey with you. Take me with you.
00:33:17
Paige
Yeah. don't know.
00:33:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
the Women's Daily Football Podcast, and we look forward to be with you on the next one. It's a goodbye from me.
00:33:41
Paige
And a child from me.
00:33:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah.