Barcelona will have a kit dedicated to Kobe Bryant

The Away kit of Barcelona for the 2025/26 season will be created in collaboration with the Kobe Bryant brand. This means that instead of the classic Nike Swoosh, the jersey will feature the logo of the former basketball player’s brand: the iconic sword introduced in 2003 and designed by Eric Avar. The biggest innovation is that fans will design the kit themselves using the FIFA Kit Creator platform. The mission for designers is clear: merge the blaugrana culture with Bryant’s legacy. For this reason, the color scheme, barring surprises, will be purple and gold. Before any designs were published, the creation platform shared some guidelines regarding the jersey’s aesthetic:

• It must be an away or third kit. Goalkeeper or special edition jerseys are not allowed.
• All colors are allowed, provided the base is not predominantly red, blue, or a combination of the two.
• The design must include the real or modified club crest. No other crests are permitted.
• The design must include the real or modified Kobe Bryant logo. Including the Nike logo is optional but not mandatory.
• The design must include the OG or customized logo of Spotify as the sponsor. No other sponsors are allowed.
• Official sleeve patches are permitted but not mandatory.

The year 2025 will mark the fifth anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s passing, a basketball talent who had a special connection with the blaugrana club. Numerous iconic photos capture him alongside Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Pep Guardiola, and Andrés Iniesta. In 2015, during a visit to the U.S. training center where Barcelona was practicing during their summer tour, Kobe Bryant confirmed his admiration for the club. This passion was deeply rooted in his childhood in Italy, where he developed a love for football. On that occasion, Bryant not only spoke about his passion for football but also opened up about the possibility of ending his basketball career with Barcelona.

His contract with the Los Angeles Lakers was about to expire, and the idea of reuniting with his former teammate Pau Gasol might have been a decisive factor in this choice. However, the connection between the two sides never materialized, remaining a dream and a fascinating story to tell. Today, this bond could continue with a new chapter thanks to the blaugrana club and Nike. The brand has often sought to unite culturally distinct sports, as seen with Jordan Brand and the collaboration between LeBron James and Liverpool, or the Jumpman relationship with Paris Saint-Germain. This project represents another step in that direction, celebrating Kobe Bryant’s memory and his sports legacy.