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The long and the shirt of it...

The football shirt has been many things over the long stretch of time since organised football began - and the latest edition of UEFA Direct puts the spotlight on its past, present and future.

From a bygone age - a football team's shirts hung out to dry
From a bygone age - a football team's shirts hung out to dry ©Getty Images

Today’s streamlined football shirt is seen as a winning fusion of design, technology and commerce – but what will the future bring? A question examined in the latest edition of UEFA Direct.

UEFA’s official publication looks at the development of the shirt since the first organised matches in Victorian England in the 1870s – from simple, heavyweight jersey to sometimes garish fashion garment, from symbol of supporter devotion to source of commercial revenue.

Spring tournaments also take pride of place in this edition, with previews of the UEFA Futsal Cup final round in Kazakhstan and the UEFA Youth League finals in Nyon.

Adi Viveash, who has coached Chelsea to two UEFA Youth League titles, talks about managing talented young players on an important step on their career path.

UEFA Direct highlights UEFA’s latest donation to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for landmine victims in Afghanistan.

Real Madrid star Sergio Ramos presented the €100,000 cheque to the ICRC on UEFA’s behalf, and he answers questions from landmine victims who play for the ICRC rehabilitation centre’s football team in Kabul.

Elsewhere in this edition:
• Famous footballers Nadine Kessler and Dejan Stanković join UEFA’s staff
• The French Cup celebrates its centenary
• Facts and figures on how fans experienced UEFA EURO 2016
• News from the member associations

UEFA Direct is available in English, French and German