Puma releases national kit for Turkish Cyprus

Ayhan Turgut - ISTANBUL

Turkish Cyprus national football team will have its own jersey for the first time since its establishment in 1955, thanks to a new sponsorship deal with sportswear giant Puma.

As part of the cooperation between Puma and the Cyprus Turkish Football Association (KTFF), the Turkish Cyprus men’s national football team will be on the pitch with specially designed jerseys for three years.

Within the scope of the agreement, a ball produced by Puma will be used in all matches in the top league and second tier.

Puma, which designs for Türkiye’s football giant Fenerbahçe, European giants such as Manchester City and Milan and the national teams of many countries, will produce two different models in red and white, which stands for the colors of the country’s flag.

The black stripe on the front of the shirts symbolizes respect for Turkish Cypriot soldiers who lost their lives.

The peace dove on the back of the shirt and the logo, with an olive branch in the dove’s mouth, is described as “indicative of the stance of the Turkish Cypriot side.”

Istanbul giant Fenerbahçe placed an order for 2,000 new jerseys to be sold in the store located under its stadium.

Reiterating that the teams used to take the pitch in red and white shirts with the country’s flag stitched on them, Hasan Sertoğlu, the head of KTFF, said, “We are proud to have a special jersey for us for the first time since our establishment in 1955.”

“I think that more than 600,000 Turkish Cypriots living in Britain and Australia will demand this jersey as it would appease their longing for their country,” he said.

Taner Seyis, the head of PUMA Türkiye, who is also a Turkish Cypriot, stated that he had not been able to sleep for days due to excitement and felt emotional. “As a Cypriot, I experience a different excitement and happiness. We, as Puma, believe that we have fulfilled our responsibility towards Turkish sports.”

“We are proud to support KTFF and contribute to Turkish Cyprus football with our innovative products,” he added.

With another sponsorship deal, the Turkish Cyprus women’s football league will bear the brand’s name.

Greek and Turkish Cypriot football associations inked a provisional arrangement for the organization of football on the island, marking a major turning point in the history of Cypriot football.

Under the arrangement, the KTFF became a member of the Greek Cyprus Football Association (CFA) in accordance with the Greek organization’s statutes and regulations.

As FIFA and UEFA recognize the CFA as the island’s sole international football authority, the association supports Turkish Cypriot teams to play with international rivals.