Bobo seals Umbro deal

Former APR and Amavubi star striker Bobo Bola ‘s fame has gone on to another level with the Sweden based player signing a three year modeling deal with British sportswear company Umbro .

Friday, May 09, 2008
ON THE CATWALK; Bobo Bola posing before penning a three-year deal with Umbro.

Former APR and Amavubi star striker Bobo Bola ‘s fame has gone on to another level with the Sweden based player signing a three year modeling deal with British sportswear company Umbro .

Bobo who features for Sweden’s Superettan league club Landskrona Bois told Times Sport yesterday that Rwanda stands to benefit from the deal.

"The deal with Umbro will last for three years but the amount in the deal is confidential,"

"I want to start distributing Umbro kits to Rwandans but my main focus is to lift sport standards in Rwanda,"

"I will also use this deal to supply the Umbro kits to local youth leagues as well," Bobo said.

Umbro designs, sources and markets sport-related apparel, footwear and equipment and its products are sold in over 90 countries worldwide.

Umbro has produced kits for many notable football teams since establishment; its first kit was produced in 1934, for Manchester City, who won the FA Cup that year. Over the years Umbro has produced kits for many other professional teams around the world, as well as referee kits for some leagues.

Umbro managed to retain their long-standing partnership with The FA and, often in cooperation with JJB Sports, gained contracts for a number of clubs in recent years, including Everton FC and several English & Scottish clubs.

Umbro currently is the official sports manufacturer of the English FA Cup and official sponsor of the new Wembley Stadium.

However, Umbro have suffered in recent years with many of the big clubs they provided for moving to the big two of Nike and Adidas (notably including Manchester United, Chelsea, and Celtic FC).

In addition to this Puma have vastly increased their participation in football and now provide many national teams with kits

Bobo joined Landskrona from third division league club Bodens early this year.

With four league fixtures played this season, Bobo’s club has accumulated 12 points and leads the Superettan league table.

Landskrona Bois, who face 13th placed club Jönköpings Södra IF, leads the table on goal difference as they tied on same points with Åtvidabergs FF.

Bobo is among the European based professional players who are yet to be summoned for national duty as the 2010 World/Africa Cup qualifiers nears.

Rwanda faces Mauritania on May 30 in group eight qualifying fixture while Morocco hosts Ethiopia in Rabat a day after.

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