Football Australia's visual throwback to the 1990s is just as much a step forward, with all national sides donning playing strips designed by a First Nations artist for the first time.
The governing body unveiled the eyecatching Nike designs featuring the work of Kamilaroi artist Reko Rennie on Friday.
The Collection: 'Forever Forging Forward' is a dream opportunity for the self-described football-mad artist.
"It's a huge achievement and it's so wild that I've had this opportunity and I'm representing my community. If someone had told 12-year-old Reko, a diehard football fan, that one day I'd have this opportunity, I would have never believed them!" Rennie said on the collection's unveiling on February 21.
Football Australia teased their new kits in the days prior to their debut by the Matildas' SheBelieves Cup tie with Japan on Friday morning, Australian time.
Both new home and away jerseys will be worn across all national teams from the Matildas and Socceroos, youth, Para and Futsal, featuring a painting of Rennie's included in his 'REKOSPECTIVE: The Art of Reko Rennie' exhibition last year.
"I have a deep connection to the culture of football. Growing up in the western suburbs of Melbourne, I saw first-hand how the game united the local community I was a part of, and what it means to wear the national jersey. To feel part of something bigger," Rennie said.
"I am proud to have designed this kit, it is a bold statement of cultural visibility, celebrating the diverse communities changing the game for the future - a message of unity from the oldest continuous civilisation on earth to everyone, united through football."
The first-choice kit evokes the hyper-colour seen across the sport in decades gone by, coupled with more subtle but no less distinct integration into the darker away jersey.
Football Australia said it marks a "bold new era for the national teams'" connection of diverse communities, histories and cultures and "championing progress, inclusivity, and excellence at every level of the game," chief executive James Johnson said.
Johnson added it's a thrill to unify the all national teams through something more than a jersey, but a "powerful symbol of Australia's footballing identity" while Nike Pacific Brand director Nick Atkinson said "It's a powerful message of cultural visibility and unity that celebrates the diversity of the Australian football community, and the game's power to unite".
Football Australia's National Indigenous Advisory Group reacted strongly to the new design.
Ex-player, Australian Indigenous Football Championships founder and Quandamooka, Butchulla, and Githabul man Ramone Close said "I think it's great to see, as a sport that has not yet visually recognised First Nations culture through a jersey design it's great".
"Through football as a world game, we can share Australia's First Nations culture through the sport based on the visual representation in the jersey design," Close said.
"It makes me feel proud as an ex player and someone who has contributed to pathways for our mob in the code of football."
Former A-League midfielder, Narugga and Kaurna man Fred Agius, sees Rennie's incorporation into the national kit as something which will inspire the next generations of Indigenous players to reach the global stage.
"In my view - the new indigenous designed jersey, will not only instil pride into past players that have worn the jersey before, it will give all Indigenous people of Australia a sense of honour to be recognised," he said.
Advisory group co-chair and Torres Strait man Kenny Bedford said it's a "clear signal" of Football Australia's support to reflect First Nations history and contributions to the world game.
The Matildas and Socceroos will showcase the jerseys in their upcoming AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 and remaining AFC Asian Qualifiers, respectively.
