Athletic Club Refuse to Wear New Copa del Rey Winners Patch, Claim They've Won 24 Instead of 23
Introduced this campaign, the new badge depicting each team's number of Copa del Rey trophies is already causing controversy. Thanks to Marcos for the heads-up on this interesting story.
Athletic Club de Bilbao, one of the most successful teams in the competition, are refusing to wear the icon on their shirts due to an old controversy.
A bit like with Juventus in the Serie A, Athletic are refusing to accept their official number of titles won - 23 and instead claim that they've won it 24 times. This is due to the club also counting the 1901-02 'Copa de la Coronación' title, which is regarded as the precursor to the Copa del Rey, which officially started the year after.
There are several issues with the club's stance. For one, the 'Copa de la Coronación' was a friendly trophy and in addition to that it was not won by Athletic Club but instead by 'Bizcaya', a team representing the city of Bilbao that also included players from local side 'Bilbao Football Club'. Bizcaya defeated FC Barcelona 2-1 in the final.
However, the trophy is displayed at the club museum and also mentioned on the official website.
Athletic will travel to third division side Alcoyano, who miraculously defeated Real Madrid in the previous round, for the 2020-21 Copa del Rey Round of 16 on Thursday. It will be interesting to see whether they will continue to ignore the new badge.
Are Athletic's claims on the 1902 title deserved? Comment below.
FC Tiamo Hirakata 26-27 Home Kit Released
Japanese Football League side FC Tiamo Hirakata has officially unveiled their new 2026-27 home kit, produced by sportswear brand Jogarbola. The release introduces a cracking design under the club's Reborn campaign for the upcoming JFL season, symbolizing a new beginning for the club.
Brighton to Wear 125th Anniversary Kit Against Arsenal
Brighton & Hove Albion have confirmed they will wear their limited-edition Nike 125th anniversary kit during their 2026-27 match against Arsenal in September 2026. The special shirt, which was initially released in May 2026 and draws inspiration from the club's original 1901 kit, will be showcased on the pitch to celebrate the club's founding milestone. Although the official anniversary falls on June 24, the commemorative fixture against the Gunners has been selected as the dedicated anniversary match where the team will debut the historic design.
Nike Creates Personalized Mercurial 2026 World Cup Boots for Kylian Mbappé's France Goalscoring Record
Kylian Mbappé has officially cemented his legacy as the greatest goalscorer in the history of the French national team, surpassing Olivier Giroud to take the top spot. To celebrate this historic milestone of reaching 58 international goals, Nike has presented the star forward with a personalized pair of Mercurial Superfly 11 boots. This special edition footwear arrives just in time as Mbappé prepares to make his 100th appearance for Les Bleus.
The custom Nike Mercurial Superfly 11 Mbappé 2026 World Cup boots features a distinct "58" lightly printed on the lateral side of the heel, representing his record-breaking goal tally. Additionally, a small French tricolor flag is prominently positioned near the heel collar, paying direct homage to his national team.