World Cup Belgium's Striking Pink Jersey Inspired by Surrealist Paintings

2026 World Cup Key News

(Central News Agency, Paris, July 8) Belgium's away jersey for the 2026 World Cup features a rare combination of light blue and pink, making it quite eye-catching on the football pitch. This jersey is inspired by the paintings of surrealist artist René Magritte and is known as the 'Magritte Jersey'.

Belgium's home jersey is red, fitting their nickname 'The Red Devils', while the away jersey is a mix of light blue, pink, and white. The words 'Ceci n’est pas un maillot' (This is not a jersey) are written on the inside of the back collar.

The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) and sports brand Adidas unveiled this jersey in March this year. Its design pays homage to Belgian painter René Magritte's works 'The Treachery of Images' (La Trahison des images) and 'The Voice of the Airs' (La Voix des airs).

'The Treachery of Images' depicts a pipe, but below it, a line of text reads 'This is not a pipe' (Ceci n’est pas une pipe).

According to the Royal Belgian Football Association's website, the light blue, pink, and white colors echo the visual language often used by Magritte, and the circular pattern on the jersey symbolizes a football.

Belgium's away jersey made its debut in this World Cup on July 1st during their match against Senegal.

Belgian media SoSoir reported that the jersey has received mixed reviews. Some appreciate its soft, bubblegum-like tones. For example, Belgian player Thomas Meunier told 'Het Laatste Nieuws': 'This jersey is very artistic, and I like it a lot. It's important to be different. Our classic jerseys are, of course, also beautiful, but this one is truly special.'

However, others hold the opposite view. For instance, the British newspaper 'The Observer' compared the jersey to 'children's pajamas'.

Media outlets like RTL reported that due to FIFA regulations prohibiting the display or mention of third-party brands, events, or logos on official match attire unless they are official sponsors, the phrase 'This is not a pipe' was not allowed to appear on the exterior of the Belgian jersey.

Europe 1 mentioned a similar case during the 2022 World Cup, where a Belgian team top incorporating the visual design of the 'Tomorrowland' electronic music festival and featuring the word 'LOVE' was also required to be removed.

The official jerseys worn by Belgian players have 'Ceci n’est pas un maillot' hidden on the inside of the back collar, invisible from the outside. However, on the fan version of the jersey sold commercially, it is printed on the conspicuous outer back collar.

On the official Adidas France and Belgium websites, both away jersey versions are currently sold out, priced at 150 Euros (approximately 5490 NTD) and 100 Euros respectively.

Belgium's next match will be against Spain on July 11th, vying for a spot in the semi-finals. (Editor: Tian Rui-hua) 1150708

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