The jersey as a canvas for nationalism
In the heated lead‑up to elections in Brazil and Colombia, the iconic shirts that once symbolised sport are now being pressed into service as campaign insignia.
Brazilian former president Jair Bolsonaro and his son Flavio Bolsonaro have been seen wearing the national yellow jersey at rallies, a move that has turned the kit into a rallying flag for a segment of the electorate that sees the garment as a badge of patriotic resistance.
Across the border, president‑elect Abelardo de la Espriella appeared in a green and yellow strip during a campaign stop in Barranquilla, using the outfit to broadcast a message of national unity that he says transcends partisan divides.
The visual appropriation has not been without pushback. A Colombian court recently ordered de la Espriella to cease using the jersey in campaign material, a ruling that was defied by supporters who continued to drape the shirt over their shoulders as a sign of dissent.
In response, left‑wing legislators have begun donning the same colors, arguing that the national kit belongs to every citizen and should not be monopolised by any single political movement.
The phenomenon reflects a broader trend in which football symbols are co‑opted to signal belonging, legitimacy and ideological alignment, especially in societies where the sport commands near‑universal attention.
International bodies such as FIFA have long guarded the commercial use of national kits, yet the political appropriation of these garments illustrates how cultural symbols can slip beyond the pitch and into the arena of electoral politics.
Observers note that the practice risks blurring the line between sport and governance, raising questions about who is authorised to speak for a nation when a jersey becomes a campaign prop.
A contested symbol in the global arena
From the streets of Rio de Janeiro to the plazas of Bogota, the jersey has become a ready‑made uniform for populist candidates seeking to tap into a shared sense of identity. Whether it serves as a unifying banner or a divisive banner depends on which side of the political spectrum is wielding it.