Nike has acknowledged its World Cup kits contain a design defect, admitting the shirts do not meet their expectations.Last month, the global sportswear brand released its collection of national team shirts for this summer’s tournament.The defect was visible on the shoulder of Uruguay’s Emiliano Martinez in last month’s clash against EnglandGettyIncluded in the release were England, France, Uruguay and co-host Canada with the kits largely given the thumbs up from fans at first viewing.However, a defect across the shoulder area was spotted during last month’s international break leading to Nike issuing a statement to the Guardian.Nike’s admission“During the recent international break, we observed a minor issue with our Nike national team kits, most noticeable around the shoulder seam,” a company spokesperson said.“Performance is unaffected, but the overall aesthetic is not where it needs to be.”Nike’s admission represents a huge faux-pas for the sportswear giant who promoted the technology and design of their World Cup collection prior to its launch.That saw the kits earn rave reviews but eagle-eyed observers quickly spotted the issue once the players had donned the new design.The issue is an uncharacteristic bulging effect along the shoulder seam.The gravity of the issue appears to differ between each national team design with some shirts worse than others.On the United States’ home shirt, the defect was barely noticeable whereas the others were far more prominent.Observers were quick to notice the flaw on France captain Kylian Mbappe during Les Bleus’ double header against Brazil and Colombia last month.The issue was also visible on the shirt of France captain Kylian MbappeGettyThe same can be said for Uruguay’s players who wore their new kit in the 1-1 draw against England at Wembley.Fans have also encountered the same problem despite having splashed out between £75 and £150 on shirts.However, some found a way to combat the issue by using steamers or washing the garments first before wearing the shirt.Discussions taking place Nike is now in dialogue with its partners in the hope of a favourable conclusion.It is unclear whether Nike will redesign the shirt with just two months to go before the World Cup and possible logistical issues.There is the possibility that fans will be offered compensation for the defect but that remains unclear at present.Cole Palmer’s England shirt suffered the same fateGettyHowever, the United States shirt was not as badly affectedGetty“We are a global team of best-in-class designers, creators and dreamers who spend every day thinking about how to innovate, challenge ourselves, and take risks that push the beautiful game,” Nike added“We always hold ourselves and our products to the highest standards and this fell short.“We’re working quickly to make this right for players and fans, because every kit should reflect the care, precision and pride that the game deserves.”