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Matchworn Charles M'Mombwa 22.03.2024 BUL 🇧🇬 : TAN 🇹🇿 1-0

Manufacturer: Sandaland

Source: Collector

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THE COUNTRY

Somewhere in between the endless savannahs and the snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, there is football to be played in Tanzania.

Tanzania’s national team was formed in the years following independence and has long been part of Africa’s fiercely competitive qualification campaigns. World Cup dreams have so far remained just that – but the team has had its share of meaningful milestones. The biggest came in 1980, when Tanzania qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time. It would take nearly four decades before they returned to the continental stage at the 2019 AFCON, where their adventure would already end after the group stages.

Their greatest success is still fresh in their minds: at last year's Africa Cup of Nations, they reached the round of 16 for the first time, where they narrowly lost 0-1 to hosts Morocco.

Domestic football provides the backbone of the national side. The rivalry between Young Africans S.C. and Simba S.C. divides neighborhoods, families, and sometimes entire cities. When these two meet, the noise inside the stadium could rival the roar of lions out on the plains.

THE SHIRT

After years with German manufacturer Uhlsport, Tanzania switched to domestic supplier Sandaland in 2023, who did a solid job with their first design.

What the fan shirts lack in quality, the player jerseys make up for:

a map of the Tanzanian provinces and several giraffes – the national team's heraldic animal – are embroidered almost invisibly into the fabric across the entire jersey. The logos are rubberized, giving the whole jersey a high-quality look.

This fine piece was worn during the “FIFA Series 2024,” a new quasi-tournament featuring rather unusual matchups. It wasn donned by Charles M'Mombwa in a game against Bulgaria, which was played in Azerbaijan.

Tanzania wearing the shirt during the FIFA Series match against Bulgaria in 2024