We are excited by The US women soccer team, which plays Japan
in Sunday World Cup final, has riveted fans of both sexes this
year with nail- biting wins over Brazil and France.

But the more excitement has some men particularly
worked up as they fret over one of the finer points of fandom: What
in the world is a beer-drinking, chest-hair-sporting Abby Wambach
fan supposed to wear?

Until now, looking like the players was not such a
problem for guys. The women uniforms, with their formless,
masculine cuts, were essentially “sized-down versions of men
jerseys,” according to
Nike. This year, the team
sleek cap-sleeve jerseys zip up the front, hug the bust, taper
in at the waist and jut out at the hips, drawing comparisons on
soccer forums to Halloween ubiquitous “sexy nurse” costumes.

Last year women wear accounted for 30% of total
sport apparel sold in the US
Nike declined to give sales figures, but Mr. Powell estimates
about $ 10 million in World Cup apparel has been sold this year-a
figure he expects to grow if the US wins Sunday.
< br />

Nike says it decided to let the US women help
design their own uniforms this year, without regard to the
physiques of their male devotees. Mr. Yu, the spokesman, says the
company “is confident that men who want to support the US women team will wear the
US men [jersey],” and adds that Nike doesn make women
versions of US men jerseys, either.

Jim Noonan, vice president of marketing at leading
soccer retailer Sports Endeavors Inc., says he has seen several < br /> complaints on the company Facebook page about the lack of male
products. He says he plans to pass on the feedback to Nike after
the tournament is over