by Fun, games and unique
Look forward to next year’s big tournament with the official adidas Euro 2024 ball, featuring a rather sharp modern color scheme from jdsports.co.uk, with a range of variations. Similarly, fans of the oval ball need look no further than the official Six Nations ball from gilbertrugby.com, which features men’s and women’s editions of the competition as well as ones branded for each nation.
Kids who need a fit will go well with Adidas.co.uk Predator Edge.3 multi-terrain boots. Designed for use in all conditions and surfaces, they are competitively priced, offer great performance as a versatile all-rounder and are attractive to boot.
Keep the balls safely racked with a touch of style using the storage stand from aplaceforeverything.co.uk. The minimalist metal stand that will keep you from getting stuck is elegant, simple yet effective. Instead, everything offers custom frames, cleverly made in the shape of a football shirt, perfect for a beloved club jersey or memories the kids have lost.
Matthew Wood’s distinctive art at matthewjiwood.com is equally striking on the wall. Wood is a designer and illustrator who has a stunning and highly stylized selection of prints of football club grounds from around the country. There are more than 100 from league and non-league clubs as well as many other sports. A beautiful collection.
Football-mad youngsters will hardly know they’re learning with the Jigsaw Football Map Jigsaw from happypuzzle.co.uk. Another great idea is a UK and Ireland jigsaw puzzle which when put together shows 148 numbered footballs each representing the location of a stadium. The task then is to identify the club using clues to help you. Geography by stealth.
England rugby fans looking to wind down at the end of Christmas Day could enjoy a celebratory splash of The Fine Drop whiskey, a six-year-old single malt finished in a cask of ex-Margaux red wine from gulliverswhisky.com . The bottle is named to celebrate Jonny Wilkinson’s goal at the 2003 World Cup, a moment to remember with a premium whisky.
Style and substance
With the Olympics in Paris next summer, Team GB already offers a range of options at shop.teamgb.com to commemorate the event, including T-shirts and hoodies with the head logo stricken lions, who have a real impact. Despite an attractive Ashes series, cricket fans can take comfort in Headingley as England salvaged the Test and started to fight back. The performance is celebrated with a Ramones-styled punkcricket.com T-shirt, with the players’ names in the traditional slot for Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee et al and a cricket bat niftily incorporated into the design.
For Euro 2024 the team at philosophyfootball.com have stepped up again. Three Lions in Germany – Drei Lowen in Deutschlandwith the reporting “English” on the back – it’s a great T-shirt. Scotland is also represented with their Tartan-Armee in Deutschland and “Scotland” on the back. They also pay tribute to two of the greats of the game lost in 2023, with Francis Lee celebrated in a blue Manchester City shirt heralding the Maine Road Trinity of Lee, Bell and Summerbee. Manchester United’s Sir Bobby Charlton is similarly remembered alongside United’s own red shirt legends Law, Best and Charlton.
With the popularity of the Tour de France Femmes, fanatics.co.uk has a women’s T-shirt to celebrate the race with four ice limes representing the tour’s jerseys, a neat and original design. Likewise the simple yet elegant design of the looseheadz.co.uk posts make for a lovely collection and all profits go towards supporting mental health issues at all levels of rugby union.
Keep the kids warm and dry on terraces or after a cold game with the fantastic, waterproof and thermally insulated Patrol jacket from spottyotter.co.uk. Beautifully made, it’s sturdy and comfortable, with a fleece lining that works sterling in the coldest weather and is clearly built to last.
Fitness and form
Put the best foot forward with the Garmin.com Venu 3 smartwatch, an advanced fitness tracker that also serves as a comprehensive lifestyle assistant. The watch boasts many fitness applications, from step counting, through a heart rate monitor and GPS, to strokes on a rowing machine. After the job it delivers a comprehensive breakdown of every activity, ensuring no metric is missed. It also has a method of recalibrating for wheelchair users which is as accurate as it is long overdue in the smartwatch field. In addition it monitors sleep, encourages recovery time and with the “body battery” measurement provides a live assessment of the amount of activity required as the day progresses. An extremely versatile device that covers all the bases.
Enjoy a return to exercise on the road with the On.com Cloudmonster trainers with an extensive cushioning system. Ideal for slow and medium speed runners as well as short and long runners, if this is a daunting task to do, it will be less of a hardship. Very light for a shoe with such ample cushioning on the sole, they are well balanced and have a strong spring moving forward. With a comfortable fit and a lightweight, slim upper, they’ll take the sting out of that new year’s fitness resolution.
Stay warm with the Transition Windstopper Beanie from rab.equipment. A windproof beanie that combines goretex with inner fleece for warmth, it’s light but effective with a snug fit that means it’s barely noticeable when running.
On.com also has a great range of shorts for women, with both the Essential and Running types offering a great fit in a lightweight material, suitable for any activity. Similarly well made and practical are the range of sports bras from the great name Boobydoo.co.uk. Its website has a comprehensive fitting guide and both the Sportjock Action Sports Bra and the Royce Sport Impact are standouts, offering form and function.
Ensure excellent listening during any workouts with the 1More Aero Wireless Earbuds from Amazon.co.uk. They offer a spatial sound system that creates an immersive experience by adjusting according to the movement of the head. Comfortable to wear, the buds include an active noise-canceling feature, are customizable via an app and have a crisp, balanced sound quality that’s perfect for use in the gym.
Travel gadgets and gear
Going to away games or events abroad? Take precautions with the Choipolo Spot luggage trackers (8) from chipolo.net. Its travel range works on iOS and Android, requires no subscription and when activated can be tracked on a smartphone, easing the potential stress of lost luggage. There is even a slim card version to go with the passport too.
Carry the gear on the go or for the kids on the go with the Inca Extreme 65L backpack from mountainwarehouse.com. Sturdy, well made and versatile, it is fully adjustable to suit your packing needs, comfortable and includes a concealed rain cover. A bargain at almost half price.
For shorter trips, the Proviz fully reflective cycling and commuting backpack from provizsports.com is perfect. It is indestructible, using a coating of reflective beads that make it light up like a beacon, helping you stay safe in the dark. A waterproof hi-vis cover that is reflective and reversible does the same when placed over a standard backpack.
Finally, to listen to the game around the house, the ourpureplanet.com Signature Bluetooth Speaker stands out. With excellent wide sound, from a relatively small device, it delivers impressive battery life. The brand, endorsed by England captain Harry Kane, ensures its production process is carbon neutral and uses 80% recycled plastic and metal.
