Curiously, the 418th stage of the Crest Redesign Competition Weekly (CRCW), dedicated to the Mali national team, didn’t actually attract many entries.
For an international competitor of their stature - whilst not boasting a glittering history, they’ve some big scalps on their record - the side representing the Fédération Malienne de Football (FMF) would have likely expected more than seven submissions for the refreshing of their identity (in another universe).
No matter, what was entered was very, very good.
There were examples of bold designs, like Rabbi and LivaxDesign entered, and some might have assumed something along those lines to have come out on top, but there was also understated class from members like Tombot.
And that description would also apply to Solfix’s effort, which ended up winning once the votes were counted.
The eagle might not be as brash as what tends to appear on the Mali shirt but no one can deny its beauty.
