Sometime during the Summer of 2023, young adults across the globe suddenly decided they were into jerseys, a trend known as Bloke-core. But once Ayra Starr and Tems were seen in one, jerseys became a staple in Thrift stores across the nation.

In a few months, it became clear that there was an unspoken favourite jersey for the girls, the Brazilian one. Maybe it’s the colours and how yellow is heavily associated with summer. But by the end of August, fashion publications like Vogue were reporting on the rise of “Brazil Core”.

Temi Ojora.

A similar phenomenon is happening in Nigeria. Thanks to the global rise of Afrobeats, the nation as a whole has found itself a fan favourite in mainstream media; for some, it is a dream December destination, and for others, it is a major source of artistic inspiration. 

Clear examples of this inspiration can be seen in K-pop songs, including “Smart” by Le Sserafim and “Wicked” by All Day Project, as well as Western tracks like “He Knows” by Camila Cabello & Lil Nas X. A more subtle example is the Mowalola takeover of South Korea. Every in-demand girl group, from Blackpink to Katseye, has donned a Mowalola ensemble, with Lisa (Blackpink) giving the brand a shoutout on her debut album.

However, the latest example is Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet, who wore a Nigerian 1996 football jersey. It is a jersey that holds special significance to Nigeria, as 1996 was the year the Nigerian football team won gold at the Summer Olympics (Atlanta).

However, in this situation, the jersey holds poetic significance, as Nigeria core seems to be overtaking Brazil core in 2025, evoking memories of how Nigeria defeated Brazil in that Olympic semifinal. Even more ironic… the tournament was held in July.

It’s great to see Nigeria gaining traction in the media. However, we would like to remind people planning to visit for Detty December to pay their bills and keep them paid.