June the 12th, 2026 – Croatia’s very last Nike World Cup jersey before switching to Adidas has been ranked the worst of all 48 teams by The Athletic.
This disappointing ranking comes at a significant moment for Croatian football. As Jutarnji writes, following the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the Croatian Football Federation will end its long-standing partnership with Nike and begin a new era with Adidas. The 2026 World Cup will therefore be the last time the national team wears Nike kits on football’s biggest stage.
According to The Athletic’s ranking, Croatia’s jersey finished in 48th place, making it the publication’s lowest-rated World Cup design.
The criticism focused primarily on alterations to Croatia’s iconic red-and-white checkerboard pattern. Reviewers argued that the squares were made too small and singled out the large white section running through the centre of the shirt.
The Athletic wrote that while experimenting with an established design can be tempting, modifying Croatia’s famous checks is a risky move. The publication said Nike’s redesign failed to capture the appeal of one of football’s most recognisable shirts, comparing the final product to a partially edited image on a mobile phone that was never completed.
Croatia was not alone in receiving criticism. Canada’s jersey ranked second from the bottom, while co-hosts the United States finished in 26th place and Mexico placed 17th.
The ranking also included Bosnia and Herzegovina’s kit, which finished 31st. Despite being produced by Kelme, a brand not traditionally associated with premium football shirt design, reviewers praised its use of yellow accents against a deep blue base. However, they criticised the company’s paw-print logo, arguing it distracted from an otherwise successful design.
At the opposite end of the list was Ghana, whose jersey was named the best of the tournament. The Athletic praised Puma’s design, highlighting its inspiration from kente, the traditional handwoven textile closely associated with Ghanaian culture.
The debate over Croatia’s jersey has already divided fans. While some agree that Nike’s final design missed the mark, others believe the shirt looks far better in person and argue that criticism has been exaggerated.
With Adidas set to take over after the World Cup, attention is already turning toward what Croatia’s famous checkerboard pattern will look like in the next chapter of the national team’s history.
