Trend on the soccer pitch

Messi effect: why real men wear pink

Lionel Messi in a pink jersey, the "hottest sports item on the planet" according to the New York Times(Bild: AFP or licensors)

There's a new fashion trend in soccer: kit as pink as Barbie's wardrobe. But not all fans like it. On the contrary: fierce protests suggest that some see true masculinity in danger. But why?

The German national soccer team was really lucky: they beat the Netherlands 2:1 in their match premiere in the new European Championship jerseys, in a color gradient from squeaky pink to rich purple. There was a huge sigh of relief, not only because of the successful performance on the pitch, but also because of the venomous murmur that had spread in the run-up to the game: footballers in Barbie colors? Isn't this at least the downfall of masculinity?

The reactions at the traditional Upper Austrian club LASK were even more violent, with their pink outfits already sparking the next stage of escalation.