Kobe Bryant’s legacy will go on forever.
We see homages to the Lakers legend in all kinds of ways, from beautiful murals to players imitating his iconic moments or mentioning Bryant as an inspiration.
Now, we’ll see his legacy celebrated on the soccer pitch for Barcelona.
Eduardo Tansley and Pol Ballús of The Athletic reported that the soccer club would be collaborating with the Kobe brand for the next couple of seasons.
“Barcelona signed a new contract extending their partnership with Nike in December,
ADwhich club sources at the time said was worth a total of €1.7billion over the following 14 years. The previous deal had been due to expire in 2028. The official announcement of the collaboration with the Kobe brand said it is set to continue through to the 2027-28 season.”
This isn’t the first time the Kobe brand has partnered with a sports team. The USC Trojans, Kentucky Wildcats and Oregon Ducks have worn Kobe-branded gear before.
However, this is the first instance where a professional soccer club has collaborated with the Kobe brand. This may seem like an odd or random situation, but it’s not. Bryant always had a deep connection to Barcelona.
According to Barcelona sources, speaking anonymously as they did not have permission to comment publicly, the collaboration has special significance given Bryant’s emotional connection to the club.
Bryant lived in Italy between the ages of six and 14, as his father played professional basketball there, and developed a passion for soccer. He later adopted Milan and Barcelona as his two favourite teams in that sport. He spoke Italian and Spanish, having learned the languages during his years in Europe.
Bryant checked out FC Barcelona practicing during their visit to Los Angeles and told stories of meeting Lionel Messi when he was just 17 years old.
The connection with Kobe and Barcelona goes beyond the infamous soccer club and extends to the basketball team.
Bryant played against Barcelona in a preseason game back in 2010. Barcelona beat the Lakers in that contest 92-88. Bryant scored 15 points in the loss.
There was even a possibility for Bryant to play for Barcelona after his NBA years were done, but that never came to fruition.
According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Bryant turned down an offer to extend his career by joining Barcelona’s basketball team after leaving the NBA.
Now, the Kobe Bryant legacy will be tied to Barcelona in a new and awesome way. These kits will surely sell very well worldwide, bringing together Lakers and Barca fans.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
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