1. FC Köln coach Lukas Kwasniok explains wearing club’s home shirt for Bundesliga opener

Lukas Kwasniok wore 1. FC Köln’s home jersey for their Bundesliga opener against Mainz. “I thought that the combination of black and white-red makes you look a bit slimmer. From what I saw on TV after the game, that didn’t really work out so well,” he jokingly said after the game.

When 1. FC Köln kicked off their Bundesliga campaign against Mainz on Sunday, head coach Lukas Kwasniok surprised everyone with his choice of clothing.

Instead of wearing a tracksuit, regular shirt or suit like most of his fellow coaches, he donned the club’s home jersey.

After his team’s 1-0 victory, Kwasniok explained the idea behind his decision:

“I saw the jersey presentation at a sponsor event and got goosebumps. And the same with the black jersey. Then the decision was clear for me: if I’m allowed to do it, I will. Because I want to commit to this club, and I do, and I also wear this jersey with pride,” he said in a post-match interview.

With a smile, he added: “Also, I thought that the combination of black and white-red makes you look a bit slimmer. From what I saw on TV after the game, that didn’t really work out so well.”

Kwasniok isn’t the first FC Köln coach to make headlines for his choice of clothing. Former coach Steffen Baumgart, now at Union Berlin, became famous for his iconic cap during his time at the club