Soccer shirts as political symbols: How identity and power are woven into sportswear
Original framing: “Joey D’Urso on the politics stitched into soccer shirts - Reuters” — Reuters (via Google News)
In many non-Western cultures, sports are deeply intertwined with community and identity. The meaning of a soccer shirt can vary widely depending on the cultural context. In some regions, it represents unity and resistance, while in others, it is a tool of exclusion and division.
Soccer shirts are more than just clothing; they are deeply embedded in the politics of identity, history, and power.
From the colonial past to the present, these symbols have been used to construct and reinforce national and cultural narratives. Indigenous and marginalized communities often find themselves excluded from these narratives, despite being central to the cultural meanings of these symbols. A systemic approach must involve decolonizing design, ensuring ethical production, and amplifying underrepresented voices. Only then can the politics of sportswear move beyond spectacle and into meaningful engagement with the structural forces that shape identity and belonging.