Mumbai, 05th November 2026: Bringing together the worlds of football, art, fashion and Indian craftsmanship, renowned Indian artist Abhay Sehgal has collaborated with German football club FC Bayern Munich on a special Diwali-inspired creative project, reimagining the club’s away jersey as a canvas for an Indian cultural narrative.
Rooted in the theme ‘What Does Football Mean to India?’, the collaboration explores the emotional relationship between football and the millions of young Indians for whom the sport represents much more than a game. Conceived as a personal expression of the artist’s childhood experiences, the artwork reflects on the power of sport to offer an escape, inspire ambition and create a world of possibilities.
At the heart of the artwork is the image of a young boy sitting on a cloud, looking towards a clock tower. Inspired by Abhay’s memories of school life, the clock tower represents the anticipation of sports period – those two hours in the day when everything else faded away and the only thing that mattered was playing. Beneath the clock tower, a dreamlike composition of elephants holding the moon symbolises hope, imagination and the pursuit of seemingly distant ambitions.
The artwork also carries a larger aspiration. On the back of the jersey, the number ‘00’ emerges from a traditional lamp, symbolising the dream of seeing an Indian team compete at the FIFA World Cup. Drawing from India’s mathematical heritage and the association of zero with Aryabhata, the visual creates a connection between cultural legacy and future possibilities.
Speaking about the collaboration, Indian Artist Abhay Sehgal said, “I wanted to bring together two things that have always been close to me – art and football. I wanted to tell a larger story about the dreams of young football enthusiasts in India, where sometimes all you need is a ball and the freedom to play. The Indian craft elements helped me bring this story to life while connecting our cultural heritage with a sport that inspires millions. More than just creating an artwork on a jersey, I wanted to create something that speaks about hope, ambition and the dream of seeing India on the world football stage.”
The creative process brings together traditional Indian techniques and contemporary artistic expression. Block printing and hand embroidery are combined with hand-painted acrylic, creating a layered visual language that reflects India’s rich craft heritage while giving it a contemporary fashion context. The intention was to create a body of work that connects India’s past, present and future through the language of art and sport.
Developed over approximately ten days, the jersey involved a collaborative process between Abhay, a block-printing specialist and the embroidery team at Legends, who worked on bringing the cloud elements to life. Discussions around the project began in April, allowing the concept to evolve into a detailed, handcrafted artwork.
As part of the collaboration’s social media rollout, the customised jersey has been worn by several FC Bayern players, including Harry Kane, Manuel Neuer and Serge Gnabry, bringing the artwork’s story to an international football audience.
The project marks a significant creative association for Abhay, making him the first Indian artist to collaborate with FC Bayern Munich on a Diwali-oriented artistic initiative. It also signals the beginning of a longer-term creative association exploring the possibilities of bringing Indian artistic perspectives and craftsmanship into conversations around global football, culture and merchandise.
For Abhay, the project is ultimately about recognising the dreams of young football enthusiasts in India and celebrating the cultural stories that make those dreams meaningful. It is a reminder that sometimes, all it takes to imagine a different future is a football, a field and the freedom to play.
