Ajax Amsterdam Football Club Launches Bob Marley Inspired 3rd Kit And It’s Beautiful
After months of speculation and encouragement by eager fans, the Ajax Amsterdam Football Club has finally dropped its Bob Marley-inspired “Three Little Birds” Third Kit.
Ajax Amsterdam and Adidas, in collaboration with the Bob Marley family, have released the club’s 2021/2022 third kit today (August 20) as a tribute to the love shared by the club and its fans for reggae legend Bob Marley and his iconic song, Three Little Birds.
The story of Ajax, Bob Marley and Three Little Birds started in August 2008, when Ajax played a friendly match in Cardiff, against Cardiff City FC. The Ajax fans were asked to remain in the stands after the game and to entertain them, the stadium DJ played several tracks, one of which was Three Little Birds and the rest was history. The fans instantly embraced the song as their own and have been singing it at every game since.
The new black kit features red, yellow, and green details and includes a jersey, shorts and socks. It will be worn in this season’s European matches, alongside Ajax’s home kit.
On the back of the jersey, just below the collar, there is a subtle reference to the iconic song, with three little birds sitting on Amsterdam’s Andreas crosses.
On the socks, Amsterdam’s Andreas crosses are prominently highlighted.
https://twitter.com/AFCAjax/status/1428627890535550977
Singin' sweet songs 🎶 @RGravenberch pic.twitter.com/SZzyzizB5R
— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) August 20, 2021
According to a press release, the line also includes a track top, track pants, sweater, t-shirt and Samba footwear.
“Samba footwear originates from football but has become a global fashion icon in its own right. With stripes in red, yellow and green, the footwear also features the Ajax crest on the tongue of the shoe and the three little birds on Amsterdam’s Andreas crosses on the heel tab.”
Cedella Marley, Bob Marley’s daughter and CEO of the Marley Group Of Companies, said in the release, “I am beyond touched that Ajax has taken Three Little Birds and made it their anthem. Stories like this warm my heart and show how impactful songs like Three Little Birds can be. Soccer was everything to my father. To use his words: football is freedom”.
The new jersey is available at the official Ajax Fanshop and on Adidas.com
Other clubs to use Marley as inspiration for the kit include Irish club Bohemians who launched their own limited edition jersey for the 2018-19 season. They were in breach of Marley’s image rights and had to quickly disband the Jerseys.
In recent years other football teams have sought to use music or human interest projects to inspire their kit.
The Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders paid tribute to Jimi Hendrix, with the release of a new kit for the new Major League Soccer season and Bohemians collaborated with Amnesty International to create an away shirt that proudly expressed support for refugees fleeing war around the world.
More recently the Paris Saint-Germain linked up with The Rolling Stones to produce replica shirts, apparel and skateboards.