Away 2023/24
Matchworn Hanif Hamir 12.10.23 IDN 🇮🇩 : BRU 🇧🇳 6-0
Manufacturer: FABD
Source: Collector
THE COUNTRY
When I was little, the Sultan of Brunei was considered the richest man in the world. However, I didn't know what Brunei (officially Brunei Darussalam) was all about back then. Even today, the tiny country on the island of Borneo nestled between Indonesia and Malaysia is not often in the spotlight. When it does, it mainly makes headlines for its conservative laws: Sex before marriage is forbidden and homosexuality is punishable by death. There is also little to report in terms of football. Ranked 191st in the FIFA world rankings, it is one of the worst Asian football nations. Brunei has never been able to take part in a major tournament and even the qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup is already over for the small sultanate after just two games (two 0-6 defeats against Indonesia). The most interesting fact about Bruneian football, however, is that the country had a representative team in the Malaysian league until 2005 and even won it in 1999.
THE SHIRT
After Brunei's jerseys had been supplied by Italian manufacturer Lotto for many years, the Bruneian football federation (FABD) decided to produce its own jerseys in 2023 – with astonishing results. The away jersey comes in a chic petrol blue, which is rather rare for national jerseys. It has a prominent raised collar with press studs. The entire shirt is covered in a typical national ornament, while subtle horizontal stripes are worked into the fabric. The association crest is made of plastic with golden three-dimensional details. Overall, the jersey makes a very high-quality impression! As the qualifying rounds for World Cups are usually over quickly for Brunei – as they are usually eliminated after just two games in the first round – there are probably not many Brunei shirts with World Cup patches on them. That's why I'm all the more pleased to add a shirt with such patches to my collection before the UEFA countries even have their first qualifying match in 2025. The jersey was worn by defender Hanif Hamir during the 0-6 defeat against neighbor Indonesia.
It found its way into my collection directly from Brunei – in a package plastered with stamps of the one richest person in the world.
