Third 2016
Matchworn by Franz Burgmeier 23.03.2016 GIB đŹđź : LIE đ±đź 0-0
Manufacturer: Adidas
Source: Former Liechtenstein player
THE COUNTRY
If you ever wanted to run your own country and have a bit of cash to spare, this might be your opportunity!
The small Alpine principality of Liechtenstein was actually offered for rent:
For a mere $70,000 the whole country could be yours for a day! While the 39,000 Liechtensteiner werenât enslaved to serve their wealthy tenant, a couple of other conveniences were included in the deal:
accommodation for 150 people
a medieval procession
a reception from Prince Hans-Adam II, including the obligatory presentation of the âkey to the countryâ
Apparently, no one ever took the offer, even though it was said that Snoop Dogg was on the verge of doing so...
Although, the idea of ruling a country for a day seems tempting, I would rather spend my money on joining Liechtensteinâs national team for a match.
But despite Liechtenstein being one of the least successful teams in Europe, a mid-thirty beer bellied klutz like me would probably not be a reinforcement at allâŠ
Like many small nations, the crux of Liechtensteinâs failure to develop into a European football powerhouse is obviously the limited selection of world class players, given their small population. Nonetheless, the country has spawned a handful of players that spent their careers in the higher European leagues, with Mario Frick and former goalkeeper Peter Jehle leading the way.
While the national teamâs biggest successes are their occasional wins (15 in 40 years) â they also carry the burden of being the only country to ever lose to San Marino (more about that in my San Marino article). More successful that the national selection is Liechtensteinâs biggest club FC Vaduz, who competes in the Swiss League. Despite never lifting the Swiss Super League trophy, they won the domestic cup in Liechtenstein a whopping 47-times!
THE SHIRT
âThatâs boring!â â you might think. And I see where youâre coming from. A shirt doesnât get much whiter than this, but thereâs more than meets the eye!
First of all, there are many nice details like the subtle pattern on the chest and the different types of fabric â all kept in a nifty white. It is then quite literally âcrownedâ by Liechtensteinâs FA badge: a crown that is also found on the countryâs flag.
If I still havenât convinced you that this is a special shirt, go ahead and google pictures of the national team. I guarantee you that you will only find pictures of the team wearing blue or, on some occasions, red. Yet, during a brief âtransitional periodâ of three matches â before getting their new Adidas shirts â the team wore these mysterious white jerseys for no apparent reason. Since Iâm a big fan of those âone-offâ shirts usually kept in colors not necessarily associated with the team (like my maroon San Marino), I knew I had to have it.
Over the years, Iâve never come across a specimen, yet, on one fateful day, when I was given the opportunity to buy a whole matchworn shirt collection from a former Liechtenstein international player, I inquired if there was a chance that this particular shirt could somehow be unearthed. And indeed, former player Franz Burgmeier was happy to part with his shirt and even sign it. It was worn, when Liechtenstein played Gibraltar in a friendly in 2016. Coincidentally, my "matchworn deal" also included the corresponding Gibraltar shirt from said match.
