World Cup jerseys get mixed reviews ahead of Qatar

NEW YORK (AP) — PHOTOS?

Puma, you’re all boxed in. Nike, what have you done to the U.S. and Canada? Adidas, you’re making a few style waves.

With millions at stake in retail sales, this year’s World Cup in Qatar has soccer fans playing rate the shirt — and what to buy. So far, there’s no runaway winner that just might earn icon status like the sold-out-in-minutes bright green and chevron jersey of Nigeria during the last tournament in 2018.

Which kits definitely don't dazzle in the eyes of some hardcore fans — and a few outspoken players? Nike's effort for the U.S. team, which didn't qualify four years ago. An enlarged, simple country crest sits at the center on white home shirts perceived as bland, as opposed to classic. Nike relocated its swoosh logo to both sleeves.

A blue graphic at the neck has led to mocking comparisons to the Stay Puft marshmallow man of “Ghostbusters" fame. And the U.S. away kit features ice-dyed black Rorschach blotches against royal blue.

“It's ugly,” said 33-year-old fan Ryan Bender of the former. “The away ones look like training jerseys.”

Bender is a lifelong soccer player, youth coach and jersey collector in Los Angeles. He had few niceties in general for many of the kits of the big three outfitters: Nike (13 countries), Adidas (7) and Puma (6). That's especially so for the array of front boxes, shields and other containers where numbers will go courtesy of Puma on away kits for Senegal, Morocco, Uruguay and more.

There's particular ire for Puma over the QR code-like symbol of Switzerland. The idea overall, Puma said, was to highlight player numbers. It has also been likened among the grumpy to the iPhone calendar icon.

“There’s a lot of lack of creativity there. And to be honest, a lot of them just look like jerseys you would find in a...