As well as thrilling fans with their virtuoso style of play, the Netherlands has always had a great-looking strip, and the official team kit for the 2010 Tournament, supplied by Nike, is a bona fide design classic.
In terms of functionality, the shirt incorporates Nike's Dri-Fit technology, which is light and flexible and helps to keep the wearer cooler and drier. It's also made from 100% recycled eco-friendly polyester.
As for aesthetics, Nike have gone for a crewneck retro look, harking back to the Dutch glory days of the mid-1970's, with narrow lines, black shorts and trim, plus a deft white dash down the side of the shirt. The overall impression is retro-modernist and very streamlined.
The crest, which replicates the head and mane of a lion and was designed by Amsterdam-based graphic artist Lennard Schuurmans, contains the slogan 'Oranje Leeuwen' (Orange Lions).
Holland's Rafael Van der Vaart in the group E opening game (Reuters).
And finally, the typefaces mix a light condensed Helvetica for the player name, with a rigid sans serif numbering, reminiscent of Dutch typographer Wim Crouwel's illegible but groundbreaking New Alphabet font from the late 1960's - simple grid lines with no diagonals or curves.
New Alphabet, 1967, Wim Crouwel.
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Nike Netherlands World Cup 2010 Kit
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FIFA World Cup 2010
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