The18 World Cup Kit Championship has come down to the end. With over 64 kits in this tournament, we saw the good, the bad, and the ugly. Let’s just say that, by our standards, the look good, feel good, play good mantra couldn’t be a better tool to predict the outcomes of tournaments.
Quarterfinals:
Brazil vs Ivory Coast 
The Ivory Coast made a great run. We love their colors, and as we said before their patch is one of the best in the field. But a place in the semifinals requires you bring more to the table. Their home and away kits are the exact same thing aside from the color. Aside from fellow African nation Cameroon, they are the only team left that has this problem, everyone else has different designs between their home and away kits. It’s a shame we won’t see the blue kits for Brazil, but their yellow’s are classic, crisp and clean. It will look good on whoever wears it. Brazil are through.
France vs Germany 
A monster matchup. The French jersey’s have been one of our favorites throughout the tournament for how well they captured their countries persona. But just like in the real quarterfinal match up, Germany will barely slide their way to the semifinals. Both nations have kits that have completely different feels, but the Germans have two unique designs. Other teams (Greece, Australia) have similar designs to France’s all blue collared kits, eliminating them from a semifinal spot. The German all whites with the chevron are clean, classy and stylish. Then their away red and black stripes with silver numbers give the Germans a fierce, intimidating look that feels like a blitzkrieg. No other teams have a similar design like the Germans, but Nike and Adidas did a great job for both these nations. Germany are through.
Cameroon vs Italy 
Yes, Cameroon have pretty much the same design for both kits which we knocked the Ivory Coast for, but their design is so awesome that it doesn’t matter. The Italian kings of fashion did a great job of not tinkering too much with their lovely blue kits, and the pinstripe white kits are unique as well. But the African and lion print, along with as sweet Lion patch beat out their fellow Puma counterparts. Along with the always different colored shorts and socks the Cameroonians are always representing their countries flag, no matter if they are home or away. The Indomitable Lions may not of made it out of the Group stage in real life, but their jerseys did what they needed to do, and they are in the semifinals.
Argentina vs Ghana
Another tough matchup. Similar to the reasons we picked Germany over France, we pick Argentina over Ghana. The Albiceleste were blessed with a unique eye appealing design long ago and Adidas did a great job tinkering with a classic design but sprucing it up a bit. The white shorts, which are normally black, give the home kit a more crisp look and should be the way to go going forward. Again like Brazil, it’s a shame their away kit hasn’t been worn this tournament, but similar to Germanys’ the differentiating blue stripes with Gold numbers and emblems is pure class. We love Ghana’s kits but at this stage in the tournament we wish they could of done a little more with their white kits, as they had potential to be next level good. Argentina are through.
Semifinals
We’re at the point where you couldn’t go wrong buying any of these kits. And aside from Cameroon, they all succeeded in the look good, feel good, play good mantra. Sorry underdogs, even in the kit game you have a long way to go.
Brazil vs Germany
Two completely different styles of play, and two completely different styled kits. Again, you really can’t go wrong with either kit, but the innovation by Germany prevail. Brazil couldn’t do anything more with their prestigious yellow look. They served their purpose and were a top 4 kit at the tournament. We love them, but it’s time to dazzle us and it’s like we’ve seen these kits before, their's isn’t much of a change for us. Germany and fellow final-bound team have one thing in common and they were changes for the better.
Argentina vs Cameroon
It’s the shorts! Both Argentina and Germany, typically sporting dark shorts with their white kits made the change this year to white shorts. For both teams it is the first time in over 100 years they aren’t wearing dark shorts with their primary kit. Both Argentina and Germany were creative, innovative and held with tradition in some way. Cameroon’s kits were fun, creative and new, but they fail to bring a crisp look with so much going on. Argentina moves forward to the final.
THE FINAL
Argentina vs Germany
Two Adidas teams with similar away kits. Due to the similar of their kits we are going to throw them out the door and focus on their primary home kits. Germany have had pretty bland home kits with their 1994 kits as an expect ion. Argentina has always had their signature stripped kits. Their is nothing wrong with that, but we here at The18 have to give props to Germany for finally mixing their kits up. Argentina can’t replace their stripes, and we understand that, but the German red chevron is new, fresh and creative. It’s something that is radically different from what they are used to and they succeeded immensely. For this reason, Germany are The18's 2014 World Cup Kit Champions. Come July 14th, not only are the best two teams going to be on the pitch in the Maracana, but the two best looking teams will vie to become the 2014 FIFA World Cup Champions.
Champions: Germany
Runner Up: Argentina
Third Place: Cameroon
Fourth Place: Brazil
