Nike and England National Team create a special jersey for Black History Month

It's not the first time that Nike has publicly sided on the occasion of Black History Month (remember the recent EQUALITY campaign?), that period of year that United States (where it falls in February, due to the birthday of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass), Canada and the United Kingdom dedicate to the celebration of communities of African origins. This anniversary during which is kept alive the memory of some famous events and of most brilliant and influential personalities of black culture, was established in the UK in 1987 (the year in which the first black members, for example Diane Abbott, Paul Boateng and Bernie Grant were elected in Parliament) are celebrated during the month of October.

During last months, in the United Kingdom there's a strong need to underline the importance of the values of equality and the observance of the rights of black people, fighting because they are respected not only in the world of football but in every category of the society. The recent episodes to be condemned are innumerable and they are not only those that occurred inside the football pitch, from the Sterling case that happened out more than a year ago to the racists abuse received by the English players during the trip to Montenegro, but often it's a kind of violence that is born and that flows on social networks and in the virtual world. Alongside the unpleasant episodes, however, there are those to be underlined positively, such as the banner that a few days ago a group of Everton fans wanted to dedicate to the new signing, Moise Kean, and also the many projects promoted by various associations and foundations that involved the major English divisions.

To celebrate the legacy of three young British footballers during Black History Month, Nike and the English National team, sponsored by the American brand, decided to design two football jerseys, one white and one black, decorated with a particular fantasy, and they chose the faces of three black stars, three models to follow, three successful talents: the Manchester City forward of Jamaican descent Raheem Sterling, the Chelsea striker of Nigerian origins Tammy Abraham and the prodigy of Manchester United with Saint Kitts & Nevis background, Marcus Rashford. With this shirt on, the English National team (of which all three are part together with other black players, from Trent Alexander Arnold to Jadon Sancho through Callum Wilson, Tyrone Mings, Danny Rose, Joe Gomez and Fikayo Tomori), is training in view of the next Euro 2020 qualifying matches against Czech Republic and Bulgaria.

The jerseys will be on sale from 17th of October, on the Nike official online store and also on ProDirect Soccer.