Through PUMA.Creative’s Creative African Network program, ten artists were commissioned to design a football jersey inspired from the country’s heritage, culture and traditions. The ten artists worked with their home nation to create unique and inspiring designs for the official football kits. PUMA.Creative’s central premise was a program that brings together the individual artists and organization, providing them with a platform for creative exchange and international exposure.

Country: Algeria

Artist: Zineb Sedira
Footballer: Rafik Halliche
Quote: “For this project I decided to use Islamic geometrical patterns often found in religious buildings and in houses in Algeria. The green is the colour of Algeria and Islam so it made sense to use it for the patterns. The patterns often used on ceramic tiles (on floors or walls) are converted onto fabric by using digital technology. The dynamism and movement of the players together with the static traditional motifs brings life to the design.”

Country: Burkina Faso
Artist: Saidou Dicko
Footballer: Jonathan Pitropia
Quote: Dicko was inspired by the two Stallions that feature in Burkina Faso’s Coat of Arms. The national football team is also nicknamed ‘The Stallions’ and Saido Dicko felt that design would be representative of both Burkina Faso and its national football team, to people all around the world.”

Country: Cameroon
Artist: Barthelemy Toguo
Footballer: Samuel Eto’o
Quote: “I began by producing three different drawings. The first used the head of a lion on the front of the shirt. This imposing animal is emblematic of Africa, simultaneously expressing forcefulness and serenity. It also suggests an ability to overcome any adversary which is relevant to the nature of a sporting challenge.”

Country: Gabon
Artist: Owanto
Footballer: Didier Ovono
Quote: “The image of the panther that I created for this project is a reflection of Gabon’s vast biodiversity and is a uniting symbol for the national football team, the Panthers. I love the camouflage of the panther and for a country such as Gabon, where the majority of the land is covered by rainforest, this seems particularly apt and relevant. The Gabonese identity is one of being ‘un peuple de la forêt’ (people of the forest).”

Country: Ghana
Artist: Godfried Donker
Footballer: Asamoah Gyan
Quote: “The title of the football kit for the Ghanaian national team is Raining Black Stars .The original concept being that the team will ‘Rain’ on their opponents whenever they play. I started working on the designs just before the FIFA World Cup™ began last year in South Africa. This was also before the Ghana national team captured the imagination of the world with their performance during the finals. With the concept and title I wanted to create a series of drawings which when transferred onto the kit would also inspire their performance.”

Country: Ivory Coast
Artist: Ernest Duku
Footballer: Yaya Toure
Quote: “My intention was to harness the values of both traditional clothes and the elephant. By using the force and power of the elephant and the dynamic visual effect of the textiles, which often consist of alternating bands of colour, a positive alliance between the two symbols is created.”

Country: Namibia
Artist: Hentie van der Merwe
Footballer: Bradley Wermann
Quote: “For the designs I did for the PUMA football kit I used the Namibian national flag together with the name of the Namibian soccer team – Brave Warriors – as points of departure. I had the idea of making designs that somehow alluded visually to something that one would gain during victory in a battle or a game, something like a medal or rosette.”

Country: Senegal
Artist: Samba Fall
Footballer: Khader Mangane
Quote: “Seeing the image of the Baobab tree on the new Senegalese football shirt is like seeing the good memories of all the people of Senegal accompanying their football team to international competitions.”

Country: South Africa
Artists: Hasan and Husein Essop
Footballer: Steven Pienaar
Quote: “Our design for the football kit was influenced by South Africa’s diversity of cultures and how we have grown as a Nation. We worked with the PUMA design team to help us create a symbol that would reflect South African spirit. After hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, South Africans have united across the country to support their team. The kit represents the unity within our country and at the same time reflects our strong African identity.”

Country: Togo

Artist: El Loko
Footballer: Serge Akakpo
Quote: “PUMA’s African football kits project was a great initiative, and one which I was very happy to be involved in. PUMA’s intention to integrate artists from African countries within the project is a positive forward step that should be encouraged in the future. It promotes not only African football but also African cultures.”