Torn jerseys put Puma’s kits under the spotlight at World Cup

There are many ways a footballer can be exposed at the World Cup: A mistimed tackle, a VAR check or perhaps some shirt pulling in the box.

Being suddenly and publicly exposed by your own kit, however, was probably not on the list.

Since the 2026 tournament began, several players have found themselves in unscripted “flashing” incidents after their jerseys tore under pressure.

In every case so far, the kits were manufactured by German sportswear brand Puma.

Across a handful of matches in the opening phase of the competition, four players from different nations have had their shirts torn mid-game, with three of them having to leave the pitch for replacements.

In the clash between South Korea and Czech Republic on the opening day of the tournament, a large hole was seen in midfielder Pavel Sulc’s shirt after he was pulled back by Lee Han-beom in the 26th minute.

Shortly after, during the match between the United States and Paraguay, defender Gustavo Gomez had his shirt torn down the side after a tussle with American striker Folarin Balogun.

The Paraguay captain kept playing by tucking the damaged jersey into his shorts before eventually changing into a new one.

Elsewhere, Egypt winger Mostafa Zico’s shirt was ripped across the middle when he was brought down by Belgian defender Maxim De Cuyper.

In a separate fixture between Scotland and Morocco, midfielder Neil El Aynaoui was left with two large holes at the front of his shirt after being held back by centre-back Jack Hendry, prompting him to appeal for a penalty which was not awarded.

All four shirts are part of Puma’s latest generation of match attire, made from a material the German manufacturer calls Ultraweave, which is designed to be extremely lightweight and reduce the feeling of friction while playing.

According to Puma, the shirts weigh just 72 grams and are constructed from recycled polyester which is developed through extensive testing.

In a statement to BBC Sport, Puma said: “As football is a high-contact sport, garments can be affected when jerseys are subject to severe force or extreme physical stress. Importantly, these instances do not impact player performance.

“Player feedback has shown that they prefer lighter materials in their jerseys to achieve a better performance at the highest level. That’s why during the development of jerseys, we prioritised lightweight in combination with movement, breathability, and comfort.”

There was also one instance when New Zealand midfielder Ben Old’s shorts were damaged after he was trampled on by Egypt defender Yasser Ibrahim.

Old required a replacement pair and was in discomfort, but referee Omar Al-Ali allowed play to continue.

Egypt took a quick throw-in and Mohamed Salah scored to put the African nation 2-1 ahead to the grievances of the All Whites.

Puma also manufactures the kits of Austria, Ivory Coast, Netherlands, Portugal, Senegal and Switzerland.

This is not the first time questions have been raised about the resilience of Puma’s kits on the international stage.

At Euro 2016, several Swiss players had their shirts torn after relatively light tugging during a goal-less draw with France.

Midfielder Granit Xhaka had to change his shirt twice, while forwards Breel Embolo and Admir Mehmedi were also caught up in the wardrobe malfunction.

Some, however, found the humour in the situation.

In an interview with Swiss newspaper Blick after the game, playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri joked: “I hope Puma doesn’t produce condoms.”