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Belgian soccer team's new uniform pays tribute to Tintin, its famous comic export

(SOUNDBITE OF JOHN WILLIAMS' "THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN")

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

The Royal Belgian Football Association has unveiled the new uniforms for its national team. The home uniform is red, no change. The team's nickname is the Red Devils, but the uniform in which the Belgian team will travel might appear oddly familiar - medium blue jersey with the white collar, brown shorts and white socks - the working uniform, if you please, of Tintin, the globe-roving reporter created by the Belgian comic artist Herge in 1929.

Tintin's reporting trips took him all over the world, including the Sahara, Iceland, Nepal and Tibet and the moon. His books have sold more than 270 million copies. Tintin's adventures have been praised for being well researched and opening children's eyes to the world, but also criticized for featuring national and ethnic stereotypes.

The CEO of the Belgian association told reporters, I am delighted that our Red Devils will be conquering Europe in a jersey based on one of Belgium's greatest heroes. But I imagine the Belgian team trotting out to play, say, England and the Brits exclaiming (impersonating British accent) no worries, mate. Those Belgian blokes are dressed like reporters.

(SOUNDBITE OF JOHN WILLIAMS' "THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and is one of the hosts of NPR's morning news podcast Up First. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.