2010/11 Away Jersey (Replica)

The Away jersey was probably my favorite jersey of the 2010/11 series, mostly because it prominently features the red, white & blue colors. The sash across the chest is ok, but the combination of the 3 colors really makes this jersey for me. Nike have been known to be lazy at times and use templates (their 2002 & 2004 jersey sets were shameless, every country had the same template with a different color, I couldn't tell Australia apart from Brazil!).

The template for the 2010/11 series isn't terrible, so I let it slide. The Home jersey is kind of plain, so I much prefer this away version. More than anything, this version symbolizes the never ending struggle to prove ourselves on the big stage. If you watched any of the USA's games at World Cup 2010, you'll know this jersey was worn during their matches against England & Slovenia.

We surprised the world against England. Sure, we got lucky on the goal, but our performance on the day was solid and we even had the chance to take the lead after Jozy Altidore's terrific run in the box. The 2nd match vs Slovenia truly showed our 'never quit' spirit, as we were down 2-0 at halftime. Landon Donovan carried the team on his back as we pushed back and equalized the game in the 82nd minute.

We scored what should have been the game winner (to top off an incredible performance), but Malian referee Koman Coulibaly waived it back for a non-existent foul. I've attached the video below so you get an idea:

2010/11 Third Kit (Replica & Authentic)

As part of the initiative to push US Soccer to more fans in the country, Nike creates some campaigns to promote their jerseys and the development of the sport. In 2011, shortly before the Gold Cup, Nike created the "INDIVISIBLE" campaign. With the campaign came a new 3rd jersey, t-shirt & posters - most of which were made seen during the USA's defeat vs Spain (4-0).

The campaign was aimed at showcasing the team as a collection of individuals that stood together on a football field, rather than being "Donovan" or "Dempsey", they were the USA. The jersey itself is just another color combination on top of the template which was used for that year. I was a big fan of these jerseys, but preferred the 2010/11 Away because of the deep blue color.

On the picture above, you can see I've actually got two of these, the one on the left is a replica (retails for around 85$) and the one of the right is the authentic player issue model (retails for around 150$). I usually only buy replicas but I found the player issue for 30$, so couldn't pass up that deal!

I've taken close-ups of some of their differences, mainly the US Soccer crest. The replica features a stitched crest whereas the player issue has it ironed on for a more seamless look. Also, the authentic jersey features cooling holes on the sides to keep players running longer. As a whole, I was pleased with Nike's effort on this jersey!