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With only one week to go before the World Cup kicks off, Nigeria have already emerged as the sartorial champions.
According to news reports, three million replica shirts of Nigeria’s World Cup kit have been pre-ordered.
The “retro” kit, modelled on Nigeria’s 1994 World Cup debut jersey, was hugely anticipated since pictures were first released in February.
On Friday, snaking queues in London, consisting mostly of non-Nigerians, formed outside Nike’s flagship store as shoppers tried to get their hands on the $87 (R1 100) kit.
Stock sold out within three hours, causing outrage among those who had queued for hours, in scenes reminiscent of Black Friday or the release of a new iPhone.
Shirts on the Nike website were sold out as soon as they were made available.
The shirts, modelled by Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi and Leicester’s Wilfred Ndidi, will be worn for the first time when Nigeria take on England in warm-up game at Wembley on Saturday.
In a poll conducted by Sky Sports, it was voted the best World Cup jersey. While non-Nigerians took to social media to confess to buying them and apologise for their lack of patriotism, Nigerians were angry that they could not get their hands on the coveted item.
Rahman Noodles tweeted: “I’m pissed off! I woke up mega early to try purchase the Nigeria kit and it’s sold out. Can everyone who’s not even Nigerian but purchased one return it now!”
Ndu on the Curb cheekily threatened to rob at gunpoint any non-Nigerian wearing the shirt.
The BBC reported that in Nigeria counterfeit shirts were already being sold on the streets and in markets.
The shirts, of varying quality, were being sold for as little as $5.
“Right now in Nigeria, the jersey is one of the best and I am happy selling it,” one trader in the capital told the BBC.
He said the ones he was selling were “not top-notch quality, like the one you can get from the Nike shop”.
Ronke Oni, another trader, told CNN that she got a counterfeit replica from Thailand last month and was selling it online and via social media.
“It sells faster and it’s cheaper. The most popular one is the home jersey. It’s hot cake right now. Most Nigerians I don’t think can afford the original.
"The replica is the same as the original, except when you look closely at it,” she said.
