The Kits Are Alright
For thousands of young sports fans, summer means one thing: Football. Every year, teams from across the globe head to Sweden for the world's largest youth football tournament, Gothia Cup, turning the city of Gothenburg into a week-long celebration of football, friendship, and future stars.
This year, global industrial technology company SKF, who have been a Gothia Cup main sponsor for 20 years, is taking the experience further with a brand-new match kit designed by two young Swedish football talents. Monica Jusu Bah (currently playing for BK Häcken) and Felicia Schröder (formerly BK Häcken) share matching bestie tattoos, and have gotten together to design a jersey that will be worn by the young players taking part in Meet the World, SKF's international initiative that gives hundreds of aspiring footballers the chance to compete at Gothia Cup.
It's a full-circle moment for Monica and Felicia. Not long ago, they were youth players chasing the same dreams. Today, they're national team players, European champions, and two of Sweden's brightest football stars. But they haven't forgotten where it all started.
Instead of creating just another football shirt, the duo wanted to design something personal. The inspiration came from matching sun-and-moon tattoos they got to celebrate their friendship and shared journey in football. That same symbol now sits at the heart of the jersey design. "The sun and the moon represent our differences, but also what brings us together," says Felicia.
As a result we get a striking ombré kit finished with gold details and a true story of friendship, teamwork, and the connections football creates behind it. And that's exactly what Meet the World is all about. Through local qualifying tournaments in countries around the world, SKF helps young players earn their place at Gothia Cup and experience football on a global stage. This summer, teams from 15 countries, alongside three Special Olympics teams, will travel to Gothenburg to take part.
This summer, hundreds of Meet the World players will pull on the jersey and head onto pitches across Gothenburg. Find out more about the SKF x Gothia Cup here.
