Why did Real Madrid wear the green away kit for a home game against Espanyol?
Breaking with tradition, Madrid did not wear their iconic all-white kit for the home fixture at the Santiago Bernabéu against Espanyol.
Real Madrid hosted Espanyol at the Bernabéu on Saturday afternoon where a 2-0 win put Zinedine Zidane’s side three points clear of Barcelona, at least until their Catalan rivals play Mallorca later in the evening.
But breaking with tradition, Los Blancos did not wear their iconic all-white kit for a home fixture at the Santiago Bernabéu against Los Periquitos, instead opting to wear their green away strip.
Why did Real Madrid wear their green kit at the Bernabéu?
Madrid chose to wear their green kit as an act of solidarity with the climate change movement as the Spanish capital hosts the UN’s COP 25 Climate Change summit, which begins on Saturday and runs until 13 December.
“This initiative is part of the club's support for the Castellana Verde initiative and falls in line with the 25th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP25),” the club said.
Paseo de la Castellana is one of Madrid’s main avenues that runs along the front of the Santiago Bernabéu. Castellana Verde is an initiative coinciding with the COP 25 summit, where companies and organisations will organise a range of activities related to the climate crisis along the famous street.
Madrid have also erected a large “eco-banner” (35.77 metres wide and 19.60 metres high) depicting themes related to COP and the fight against climate change on the façade of the stadium facing the Castellana. The banner will remain in place for the duration of week-long COP summit.
Real Madrid’s coral kit
It’s not the first time Los Blancos have shown support for environmental causes this season. In the summer, the club unveiled their third coral-coloured strip made from 100-percent recycled ocean plastic.
An initiative of the club, shirt sponsors Adidas and environmental organisation Parley for the Oceans, the coral-coloured kit was created to draw attention to plastic pollution in the world’s seas.