Red Devils’ New Kit: Retro Design Inspired by Magritte for World Cup 2026
The Belgian national football team, the Red Devils, will debut a striking new away kit for the upcoming World Cup, a design steeped in the surrealist artistry of René Magritte. Adidas, the team’s kit sponsor, has unveiled a retro-inspired shirt featuring a unique color palette of light blue, white, and pink, a departure from traditional away colors but a deliberate homage to the iconic Belgian painter.
Magritte, born in Lessines, Belgium in 1898, is considered a pivotal figure in the surrealist movement. His work often challenged perceptions of reality, playing with imagery and symbolism to provoke thought. The new kit aims to capture that spirit of intellectual curiosity and artistic flair. Elements of the Belgian Football Association (KBVB) logo, as well as symbols representing the sport itself – a football and pitch lines – are subtly integrated into the design.
The choice of Magritte as inspiration continues a recent trend for the Red Devils, who have previously honored Belgian icons with their away shirts. The 2016 EURO kit paid tribute to Belgium’s rich cycling heritage, while the 2022 World Cup shirt drew inspiration from the vibrant fireworks displays of the Tomorrowland festival. For EURO 2024, the team’s kit featured a nod to the beloved comic strip character Tintin, created by Hergé.
Adding a playful, surrealist touch, the collar of the new shirt bears the inscription “Ceci n’est pas un maillot” – “This is not a shirt” – a direct reference to Magritte’s famous 1929 painting, “La trahison des images” (“The Treachery of Images”), which depicts a pipe with the caption “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” (“This is not a pipe”). The painting famously questions the relationship between an image and the object it represents, a concept Magritte explored throughout his career.
The kit’s design also subtly references Magritte’s exploration of the mundane and the unsettling. As noted in analysis of his 1934 work, “The Red Model,” Magritte was fascinated by the “problem of the shoes,” questioning the habitual acceptance of commonplace objects. He saw a “monstrous” quality in the combination of a human foot and a leather shoe, a reversal of the natural order. While not directly translated into the kit’s visual elements, this underlying theme of challenging perceptions resonates with the overall artistic concept.
The Red Devils will first wear the new kit in a friendly match against the United States on in Atlanta, Georgia. The collection will be available for purchase starting today at 10:00 AM.
The unveiling of the kit has sparked conversation among fans, with many appreciating the artistic direction and the celebration of Belgian culture. The KBVB hopes the shirt will not only represent the national team but also serve as a symbol of Belgium’s artistic legacy on the world stage.
Magritte’s own reflections on his art – that he did not paint, but rather *thought* – seem particularly apt in the context of this kit. The design isn’t simply about aesthetics; it’s about prompting reflection, questioning assumptions, and celebrating the power of imagination. The kit, like Magritte’s paintings, invites viewers to look beyond the surface and consider the deeper meaning behind the image.
Kevin De Bruyne and Youri Tielemans were featured in promotional imagery for the kit, posing with props referencing Magritte’s work – De Bruyne with a bowler hat and apple, echoing “Le fils de l’homme” (The Son of Man), and Tielemans juggling apples. These visual cues further reinforce the connection between the team and the artist.
The home kit for the Red Devils, revealed in November, also drew inspiration from Belgian culture, paying homage to Manneken Pis, the iconic Brussels statue of a little boy urinating. The consistent theme of celebrating Belgian identity underscores the national team’s commitment to representing the country’s rich cultural heritage.