Man City and PUMA release first-ever esports kit for 2020-21 season

Manchester City have officially announced the launch of their stunning esports shirt for the 2020-21 season. Inspired by the club's on-field third-kit, this is also PUMA's first-ever Man City esports kit. Man City's esports team competes in the FIFA gaming editions and boasts professional players such as Shellz and Ryan Pessoa in their ranks. 

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Nathan Ake poses in all-new Man City esports kit

Nathan Ake, who joined the club this summer from Bournemouth, donned the new kit for its official release alongside Shellz and Pessoa. The esports kit features a paisley pattern, which, as mentioned, draws heavy inspiration from the club's official third for the 2020-21 season. The bespoke kit also features the club sponsors Nexen Tire and Etisalat appearing on either sleeve of the jersey.

The club's official statement describes the kit as a celebration of the "rich music and fashion culture" in the city of Manchester. The paisley pattern is "synonymous with artists from the ‘Mod’ and the ‘Brit Pop’ eras of the 1990s and was a staple of youth fashion in the 1960s, influencing fashion and music culture in Manchester for generations."

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"Esports is a global phenomenon gaining immense popularity as a sport with spectators and players all over the world. PUMA is excited to continue its global esports strategy with the signing of some of the best esports organisations in the world," the press release read. "PUMA and City are pushing the boundaries of football and gaming by creating a bespoke jersey exclusively for our esports team to celebrate culture on the pitch and off the pitch. PUMA will continue this trend with more products dropping throughout the 2020-21 season."

The rapid success of esports in recent years has seen several professional clubs jump onto the hype train with esports teams of their own. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and almost all major football clubs across Europe have their own professional esports teams competing in various titles and competitions. 

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Man City entered the esports scene way back in 2016 when they signed Kieran Brown as their first esports player. Since then, the Cityzens have slowly and steadily grown in the community of virtual gaming, boasting a potent team and incredible partnerships. Last year, Man City announced an innovative partnership with American esports organisation FaZe Clan to boost their presence in the ultra-competitive community. Man City's current esports roster includes Ryan Pessoa, Shaun 'Shellz' Springette, Zheng 'Airport' Shao-Jie, Yao 'CCYT1996' Ya-Xun, Chen 'DeadEnd' Yu, Zheng 'twins42' Shen and A Ru Ya 'zbnr'.

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(Image Credits: Man City Esports Twitter)