Less than two weeks removed from their titillating El Trafico showdown at the Rose Bowl, Major League Soccer’s two LA-based teams are going back in time with a modern twist.
Both the LA Galaxy and LAFC debuted their new Retrograde Kits during their home matches on Wednesday. Both jerseys pay homage to the past while forging a path toward the future.
The LA Galaxy’s Retrograde Kit is a tribute to their storied history. In partnership with Herbalife, the new kit, which is part of the Adidas x MLS Archive Collection is inspired by the team’s iconic 1996 kit that was worn by the club on their inaugural run to the MLS Cup championship.
The kit blends nostalgia and contemporary design while simultaneously celebrating the team’s rich history as the only club in MLS to win five MLS Cup titles.
In typical LA Galaxy fashion, the team added a cosmic twist to their kit launch. Aiming to capture the imagination of fans both near and far, the team collaborated with Sent Into Space to literally launch their new Retrograde Kit into space.
The unique event underscores the LA Galaxy’s ambition to reach new heights both on and off the field.
The homage to the rich history of the club’s championship culture worked on the field on Wednesday in their 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rapids at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles.
The LA Galaxy Retrograde Kit is available for purchase on MLSStore.com, adidas.com, and the LA Galaxy Team Store at Dignity Health Sports Park.
LAFC doesn’t have the rich nearly 30-year history in MLS that their rivals the LA Galaxy do, so instead for their new Retrograde Kit design, they decided to deliver a nod and throw it back to Los Angeles in the 1970s.
Over their short six-year span as a franchise, LAFC has kept it simple with just two traditional home and away kits. So for their first-ever third jersey, they needed to bring creativity and inspiration to their passionate fanbase.
Brought to life by the groovy and burgeoning soccer scene in Los Angeles in the 1970s, the kit pays homage to the disco ball and lava lamp era with a brown and cream color scheme, the league’s inaugural crest from 1996 and big, bold lettering.
While LAFC didn’t launch their new Retrograde Kit into space like their rivals, they did add a twist by including an Adidas anthem jacket and Gazelle 70s-inspired colorway shoes with each jersey sold.
LAFC unveiled their new 70s inspired kit during a crucial battle of Western Conference foes with first place in the division on the line when they tangoed with Real Salt Lake at BMO stadium on Wednesday.
Fresh off his third-place finish with Uruguay at the Copa America tournament on Saturday, forward Christian Olivera scored the game’s first goal with spectacular touch and precision when he capitalized on a mistake by RSL keeper Zac MacMath.
But RSL would equalize later in the first half thanks to a deflection on a free kick by LAFC captain Illie Sanchez. The costly mistake meant LAFC would not leave the match with three points or first place in the division. Instead, their rivals leapfrogged them at the top of the table.
The LAFC Retrograde Kit and collection is available for purchase online at adidas.com and mlsstore.com, as well as at LAFC HQ at BMO Stadium.