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Barcelona, July 29 (EFE).– FC Barcelona on Tuesday unveiled its away kit for the 2025-26 season, a tribute to Kobe Bryant featuring a light gold design and the iconic sword scabbard symbol of the late NBA legend’s brand, replacing the traditional Nike logo.
The shirt, predominantly in the so-called “Team Gold,” also includes Persian violet and black details and is inspired by the iconic colors of the teams Bryant played for during his career.
According to the club, the new design “strengthens the union between Nike and FC Barcelona, with the goal of expanding the influence of the ‘Mamba Mentality’ and inspiring new generations of athletes, on and off the field.”
The three-season collaboration “not only celebrates Kobe’s spirit of personal achievement and commitment but also pays tribute to his love for football—and, in particular, for Barça’s style and philosophy of play,” the club added.
Bryant shared a strong bond with Barcelona. A fan of the Blaugrana, the NBA star met with first-team players on several occasions, both during visits to the Catalan capital and during the club’s tours in the United States.
The new away kit was launched through a promotional video featuring a rondo—a signature training exercise at Barça—performed by Alejandro Balde, Alexia Putellas, Claudia Pina, Gavi, Ewa Pajor, Frenkie de Jong, Patri Guijarro, and Salma Paralluelo.
The rondo, a cornerstone of Barça’s training philosophy, reinforces the club’s possession-based style of play and sharpens mental agility. In this context, it serves as a fitting metaphor for the relentless pursuit of perfection embodied by the “Mamba Mentality” inspired by Bryant.
Bryant’s sword scabbard logo is embossed in 3D silicone with a shiny snakeskin texture, a treatment also applied to the Barça crest.
The Spotify logo appears in black and remains centered on the chest. The left sleeve features the Ambilight logo on the men’s jerseys and the Bimbo logo on the women’s, both in black.
The shorts have a black base with Persian violet accents and a printed snakeskin texture, referencing Bryant’s “Black Mamba” persona. The Barça crest appears on the left leg, while the Kobe Bryant logo is on the right, with the player number printed above it in light Team Gold. The socks are black with “Barça” written in purple.
The kit is the centerpiece of a wider Barça x Kobe collection that also includes a black pre-match jersey, a basketball uniform, a tracksuit, limited-edition sneakers, and other accessories.
The new away kit and the full merchandise line are available starting Tuesday, July 29, at FC Barcelona and Nike retail outlets, as well as online at fcbarcelona.com and nike.com.
The first team will debut the kit on Thursday, July 31, when they face Seoul in the South Korean capital during the second friendly of their preseason Asia tour. EFE
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