German Bundesliga side RB Leipzig are hoping to go on a hot streak in their new fire-themed kits unveiled this week.
The club launched the new limited-edition kits, made by Nike, on Friday, February 10, and will wear them on Saturday, February 11, when they host 1. FC Union Berlin. They’re inspired by a “Leipzig on Fire” chant sung fans in the Red Bull Arena to the tune of “Freed from Desire” by Italian singer GALA.
The kits are predominantly white, with three upward-pointing chevrons on the left side filled with a fire graphic. A more abstract flame pattern runs down the right side.
RB Leipzig is donating €30 from the sale of each fire kit to charities helping people affected by the recent earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. The club will then double the total amount of the donation.
The “Leipzig on Fire” chant first started after RB Leipzig won the 2021 DFB-Pokal. The song was “one of the top choices on our team’s party playlist and was played in the dressing room, during the bus ride, at the afterparty in the club in Berlin and at the cup celebration in Leipzig,” according to the club’s website.
Our cup victory song will forever be a part of the Red Bull Arena from now on. Since the beginning of this season, the song has been playing at home games in the stadium and fans are giving their own renditions more and more each game.
In the stands, the fans have found the perfect lyrics to adapt to the tine. “Leipzig on fire – Rasenballsport mein Verein” took off and has become almost a ritual before, during and also after the game. “Leipzig on fire” was the inspiration behind the special jersey: inspired by the fans, created for the fans.
LILLE OSC – Fourth Kit
French Ligue 1 side Lille OSC is paying tribute to the textile industry that has historically propelled the economy in Northern France with their new fourth kits, made by New Balance. The kits are predominantly off-white, representing the wool and raw cotton that is eventually turned into fabric. Across the front and sleeves is a pattern representing compass points; the chevron pointing north is colored red and blue. The back of the shirt is solid off-white to allow for name and number legibility. Inside the collar is one of the colored chevrons and the slogan “Nous sommes le Nord” (“We are the North”).
VfL WOLFSBURG – Third Kit
German Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg broke out a new third kit, made by Nike, in late January for a match against Werder Bremen. The kits are solid orange, with navy blue sponsor logos, names and numbers. They were likely born out of necessity more than anything, as Wolfsburg’s 2022-23 green home kits and black away kits with green trim likely didn’t provide enough contrast against Bremen’s green home kits.
US SALERNITANA 1919 – Valentine’s Day Kit
Italian Serie A side US Salernitana 1919 was spreading the love this week as they debuted a Valentine’s Day kit, made by Zeus, in a match against Juventus on Wednesday, February 8. The base of the kit is Salernitana’s traditional burgundy home color, but with a multicolored pattern of line art hearts in the bottom right corner of the front of the shirt that roughly mirrors the shape of the seahorse in the club’s crest.
A bright red panel on the back of the collar contains the phrase “innamoràti, innamoràti” (Italian for “lovers, lovers,” according to Google Translate) while the club’s Latin slogan — “Macte Animo” (“With a Strong Heart”) — is printed inside the collar with a heart replacing the O in “Animo”.
Salernitana isn’t the only Italian side feeling the love — SSC Napoli wore a Valentine’s Day-themed kit in a Coppa Italia match against US Cremonese in January.
SCHALKE 04 – Special Edition Kit
Back in the Bundesliga, Schalke 04 are adding a special message to their home kits for their match against VfL Wolfsburg on Friday, February 10. The club has replaced the sponsor logo on their pre-match and game kits with the hashtag #STEHTAUF (#STANDUP) as a message against racism and discrimination. The match-worn jerseys will be auctioned off after the game, with proceeds going to the Schalke Foundation.
“As a football club with such a wide reach, we have to be a beacon in society — for tolerance, respect and cohesion and above all against racism, anti-Semitism and any form of hatred,” said club CEO Bernd Schröder. “The fact that we can present our message #STEHTAUF on Friday on both the jersey and the warm-up shirt means a lot to us. Our thanks go to [sponsors] MeinAuto.de and HRS, neither of whom hesitated for a second and immediately agreed to stand up with us.”
