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5 reasons we love the 2020 Minneapolis City shirt
I love seeing shirts that are twinned by design.
Whether it’s a design that has been utilised across multiple teams by way of a template, or a feature which crosses country and brand boundaries, shirts which can be linked to one another are always a great story.
Though the 2020 Minneapolis City U.S. Open cup shirt isn’t officially twinned with the 2020 Manchester United third shirt, the similarities are undeniable. Both utilise a dizzying all-over ‘dazzle camo’ pattern (if we ignore the plain back on United’s effort), and I would argue that both shirts are the better for having a distant cousin the other side of the Atlantic.
It’s these stories, accidental or otherwise, which give life to football shirts. They offer those points of conversation when reflecting on a collection and sometimes they can even be the catalyst for the start of some sort of sub-collection, with designs from across the world that are brought together by one feature in particular.
If you’re undecided on whether or not to buy the Minneapolis City shirt, here are 5 reasons for your consideration.
1. The original Dazzle camo
🚨 NEW STORE DROP 🚨
— Football Shirt Collective (@thefootballsc) April 3, 2021
The Minneapolis City SC ‘Dazzle jersey’ is now available on our marketplace 🦓🦓🦓
🛒 https://t.co/gnzBZyXu4m pic.twitter.com/aXR2RBQWZg
Without wanting to repeat myself too much, the dazzle camo connection between the Minneapolis City shirt and Man U’s shirt is one of the stories of the past 12 months.
Minneapolis actually beat United to the punch by a few months, and the design is even busier camo wise.
Whether you’re a United fan who wants a fun addition to pair with your latest third shirt, or a fan of anyone other than United who wants a taste of the Zebra without the unfortunate addition of a Red Devils crest, this shirt fits the bill.
As a bonus, the shirt is long sleeve as standard, meaning more dazzle for your buck.
2. All in the details
Minneapolis details 🔍
— Football Shirt Collective (@thefootballsc) August 8, 2021
🛒https://t.co/PE8iTxY0Hp pic.twitter.com/MGWK4ww5F4
This shirt is much more than just a dazzling pattern.
Hot pink details are sprinkled across the design, from the crest to the sponsor to the sleeve details. On one arm a silhouette of the U.S. Open Cup can be found, whilst on the other we have another pink silhouette, this time of the state of Minnesota.
Talking of the sponsor, the logo of Summit Brewery is a huge step up on the Chevrolet logo seen on that other dazzle camo kit. There’s something nostalgic about a local brewery on the front of a shirt, and the sheer vibrancy of the colour is a wonderful design choice from manufacturer Stimulus.
3. Diversify your brand collection
The U.S. shirt scene is VIBRANT at the moment. 🙌🏽🙌🏽@mplscitysc | @wolffmatt@ForwardMSNFC | @CSepnieski pic.twitter.com/czp6jj0dCr
— Phil Delves (@phildelves) January 11, 2021
Speaking of Stimulus, any good collection ought to have a range of kit manufacturers. We’ve all got bucket loads of Nike and adidas shirts, but not everyone will be privileged enough to own bits and pieces from the likes of Inaria, Icarus or Stimulus.
Perhaps it’s the hipster in me, but I often find myself gravitating towards these smaller brands. They add so much colour to the typically homogenous list of names, and it's no wonder more and more people are waking up to the designs from outside the usual brand bubbles.
4. Design roots of the highest standard
Special edition @opencup kit for my hometown club, @mplscitysc.
— Matthew Wolff (@wolffmatt) March 19, 2020
If we're all diligent with our hand washing and distancing, maybe it'll see the pitch later this summer. Stay safe everyone. 💖 pic.twitter.com/qf5YQGVOD2
I’ve talked a lot about the Minneapolis - Manchester connection, but did you know that Mpls City SC are also linked to the era-defining Nigeria 2018 shirt? Yep, Matthew Wolff, the designer of the iconic Naija shirt from a few years ago, also lent his hand to the design of the Minneapolis dazzle camo shirt. As a Minneapolis native, the linkup made a tonne of sense, and it’s yet another intriguing storyline for this humble piece of kit.
Wolff has gone from strength to strength, building up quite the reputation for his work in football, particularly in the crest department. His name against a project is something of a coup for any team or brand, no matter what size.
5. The good side of football
In a week where fans have banded together in defiance of greedy (I’m being polite) billionaire owners, we’ve rarely been more conscious of the merits of fan ownership for clubs.
Minneapolis are owned by fans (or “members”), and those fans help to make key decisions for the team on a wide range of issues including, excitingly, kits. I’m not aware of the exact role members played in the 2020 cup shirt, but I’m going to give them some credit.
At the very least, fan-owned clubs deserve some love, and though there are seemingly few ‘good guys’ in the world of football, teams like Mpls City are as close as it gets.
Convinced, or still pondering? We have a bunch of Minneapolis City shirts in stock available for just £39.99.
