Bayern Munich’s new third kit has officially been released

Bayern Munich’s third kit, or Champions League kit, for the 2022/23 season has officially been released.

According to the press release, the kit’s main color is dark gray, but it looks more black than dark gray from the many photos that were released as well. The club crest, adidas logo, and shirt sponsor are all a monochromatic neon red, allowing for a stark contrast from the dark background. The front of the kit is covered with very faint diamonds, possibly an allusion to the Bavarian flag.

The kit already looks very sleek and sharp, but here’s where things get really interesting. In the center of the subtle diamonds on the front of the shirt, there are small symbols. An earlier piece said that the symbols came from pictures on a deck of cards. Now, it has officially been announced that these symbols are from the traditional Bavarian card game Schafkopf. The game is quite popular in the region, and FC Bayern is no stranger to the game. In fact, the likes of Philipp Lahm, Mats Hummels, Thomas Müller, and Manuel Neuer were said to have played the game often on the team bus.

Müller himself seems very happy about the new kit’s reference to Schafkopf. “Schafkopf is part of Bayern, and with a jersey like this, the Bayern heart comes up trumps!” he said. “We’ll have a good hand in every game.”

Bayern jerseys have often incorporated elements of Bavarian culture, and most of the time, those jerseys have been a hit. This particular kit seems to be no exception, as both the color scheme and the symbolism of the shirt are likely to go down well with the fanbase.

The kit will make its debut in Bayern’s first home game of the season against Wolfsburg on Sunday. This will be the first time in a decade that Bayern debuts their Champions League kit in a home match since the 12/13 third kit was debuted in the 2012 DFL Super Cup.

Photo by Nadine Rupp/Bundesliga Collection via Getty Images