Jacob Smith, 20, was finishing his shift at McDonald’s when he was allegedly attacked by another employee who reportedly threw hot oil on him before fleeing the restaurant

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A McDonald’s worker, aged 20, was admitted to hospital with horrific burn injuries after a colleague allegedly threw hot oil over him. The incident is alleged to have taken place on Saturday, 6 June.

Jacob Smith was on shift at a Northern California branch of the fast-food chain when he was allegedly attacked by another worker. According to reports from ABC 10, CBS News, and KCRA, the suspect fled the restaurant before police arrived at the scene.

Investigators stated that the alleged attacker, identified as 23-year-old Jalani Bluett, was later located and arrested. The Sutter County Sheriff’s Office detained him shortly after midnight local time, reports The Mirror.

Before Bluett was found, the sheriff’s office asked for the public’s assistance in locating the man as he was “considered at risk due to a diagnosis and vulnerabilities.”

During Bluett’s arraignment on June 6, Bullard told ABC 10 that Bluett was “held to answer on assault with a deadly weapon, mayhem, serious felony assault resulting in great bodily injury, and he was held to answer on that at the arraignment, and currently he is being held in Sutter County with no bail.”

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After Jacob sustained burns to the side of his face, neck, right arm and back, his mother, Amber Smith, told KCRA that her son was preparing to end his shift when he was suddenly assaulted and given second-degree burns over 22 percent of his body.

“He was in the office getting ready to count the money when he saw out of the corner of his eye something, and he just turned, and the oil was just thrown on him,” Amber alleged. “The pain he’s experiencing is so excruciating that they can’t give him a level of pain medicine outside of the ICU.”

The Mirror has approached McDonald’s for comment.

In a GoFundMe created to support Jacob in his recovery, Amber shared that he is scheduled for skin graft surgery later this week. She also included a message from her son, who thanked God for bringing out “the best possible result in the worst situation.”

“As much as I want to be angry, or want to hate people and be scared of people, it’s just so hard to be when I have so many people showing their love for me,” Jacob wrote. “I’m not sad, and I’m not angry, and the pain doesn’t cause me grief because I know it’s necessary to heal. I’m so thankful for everybody.”

“Thank you to God for saving my eye and giving me awesome family and friends,” he added.

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has come under pressure after being photographed alongside masked men at a counter-protest opposing a pro-Palestine march through a Co Down town.

The DUP representative was one of a number of unionist politicians on the ground on Saturday.

Ms Lockhart has also hit out at how the operation was policed after water cannon and riot police were dispatched to the area.

What was the March for Gaza?

The March for Gaza was a 25 mile long walk from Lurgan, Co Armagh along the Newry Canal towpath to Omeath in Co Louth, which was organised by the Lurgan branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign. The march raised money for Palestine Aid Ireland and Children Not Numbers and symbolised the distance it would take to walk the length Gaza Strip which is also 25 miles.

Why was the march controversal?

Last year, four arrests were made and a number of people were cautioned when “minor disorder” broke out as the march made it’s way through the Scarva section of the protest.

What was the Parades Commission determination?

The Parades Commission granted permission for the march with 1,500 participants, but placed a number of conditions on it, including that no participant should enter Scarva, that no flags or emblems of any type should be displayed and that no chanting or singing should take placeduring the section of the route along the towpath which passes Scarva.

Meanwhile, a group called Scarva Concerned Residents were granted permission for a demonstration of 100 people on Scarva Bridge, with conditions including refraining from “provocative behaviour”.

What was the police response to the protests?

Police officers, armoured Land Rovers, riot police and water cannons were deployed to the village ahead of the protests. A line of police Land Rovers blocked off the bridge which connects the towpath and the village.

Were there any incidents in the village?

Journalists and photographers who were on the ground in Scarva covering the events were reportedly surrounded by counter protesters and forcibly removed from the area. One journalist claimed on social media that photographers were attacked with stones. Footage circulating on social media also appears to show masked counterprotesters hurling mysoginistic abuse and other profanities at those taking part in the march. Masked protestors were also said to be flying UDA flags

Why is Carla Lockhart coming under pressure?

Images and footage on social media shows Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart standing with the masked protesters as they hurled abuse and attempted to intimidate those taking part in the march.

What has Carla Lockhart said?

In a lengthy social media post on Sunday, the Upper Bann MP said that she will “never apologise” for standing with her community.

“I was there alongside DUP MLAs, DUP councillors, UUP councillors, a TUV councillor and local community leaders. Throughout the day we engaged with senior police officers, relayed concerns, encouraged restraint and worked to ensure calm heads prevailed. We were not there to inflame tensions. We were there to prevent them escalating,” she said.

“Those who were present know exactly how much work went on behind the scenes. There was constant engagement with officers, discussions around crowd management and efforts to ensure there was no physical interaction between opposing groups. Thankfully, what could have become a far more volatile situation, passed without serious incident. That did not happen by accident.

“It is therefore disappointing, though not surprising, to hear criticism from those who were nowhere to be seen when tensions were high.”

Ms Lockhart hit out at a number of other elected representatives who criticised her for standing with the protesters.

She continued: “The abuse directed at me since yesterday has been disgraceful, but it will not silence me. It simply reinforces why it is important that people continue to speak up and represent the communities they serve.

“Yesterday I stood with my community. I engaged with the police. I am thankful this all passed off without incident. I do not condone any attacks on the police but I also do not condone police aggression. I worked alongside colleagues from across unionism and local community representatives to help ensure calm heads prevailed.

“I make absolutely no apology for that.”

What has DUP leader Gavin Robinson said?

In a post on the social media platform X, Gavin Robinson said: “I’ve stood on the ground in many riot situations. Most people commenting haven’t a clue what they’re talking about.

“Carla, Diane, Jonathan and our Councillors were in Scarva doing the hard thing. They weren’t there for selfies or social media posts.

“They were there to provide leadership, keep calm heads and help ensure a difficult situation did not become a worse one. Those who were actually there know the role they played.”

What have the UUP and TUV said?

UUP Aldermen Glenn Barr and Ian Burns called for a full examination of the events surrounding Saturday’s parade through Scarva, citing serious concerns regarding the conduct of the Parades Commission, the cost of the policing operation, and apparent breaches of the Commission’s own determination. Party leader Jon Burrows MLA has written to both the Parades Commission and the PSNI requesting meetings to discuss the handling of the matter and to seek an update on the investigation into the alleged breaches of the determination.

TUV leader Jim Allister MP said: “I am pleased that members of my party were among those who stood with the loyalists of Scarva on Saturday to protest against the small Republican coat-trailing rabble who paraded behind a banner calling for the extermination of Jews in the Middle East.

“No Unionist will take lectures from Sinn Fein who glorify and justify IRA terror.

“No Unionist will take lectures from the SDLP who promised ‘civil disobedience at a very minimum’ unless their demands were met.

“No Unionist will take lectures from the sanctimonious Alliance Party, led by a Justice Minister who doesn’t seem to understand that the role of public representatives when it comes to tense situations is to seek to avoid trouble and keep calm.

“TUV, as the photos from Saturday show, stood at the front alongside representatives from the DUP and UUP. Had unionist leaders not been there we might very well have seen people beaten off the streets, water cannon deployed and the Republican parade attacked.

“Maybe that’s what those complaining really wanted to happen. Maybe the fake outrage today is born out of frustration at the restraint and control displayed by Loyalists which didn’t give them the headlines they wanted.

“Whatever the reason, I note that the torrent of abuse online — including instances of defamation of TUV members — from Republicans directed at Unionists has passed without comment from those delivering their lectures for the benefit of their own echo chambers.”

What have other parties said?

Aontú Deputy Leader Gemma Brolly has lodged a formal complaint with the Westminster Standards Commissioner over Carla Lockhart’s conduct at the protest.

Speaking on Sunday, Ms Brolly said: “It is clear that rather than seeking to encourage the group to remove masks which were in place to intimidate marchers, Miss Lockhart is clearly seen to be engaging with those masked men.

“I believe those actions to be against the letter and the spirit of the Code of conduct and is not conducive to good community relations, and as such I am asking the Commissioner to investigate.

“People have the right to parade and to protest, but they don’t have the right, nor does any elected representative, to intimidate people or support those that do.

“Those protesting the slaughter of innocent people in Palestine engaged in a lawful action, and to be met not only with a mob of masked men but an MP acting with them, is not acceptable in 2026.

“I want to send a message to those who would seek to gain electorally by standing with those who seek to intimidate others, you will fail.”

South Down MP Chris Hazzard tweeted: “South Down is a welcoming place defined by beautiful forests, mountains, and beaches – not masked intimidation Next time you visit, Carla Lockhart, you should look into what our constituency actually has to offer, rather than standing with masked men intimidating women and children.”

Lagan Valley MP Sorcha Eastwood tweeted: “As an MP representing a constituency of 112,00 people, people with very diverse views and life experiences, I work every day to try and bring people together by leading and showing positive example by going everywhere in Lagan Valley.

“I certainly don’t please everyone all of the time and that’s not the aim. But we have an important role in working for all and showing good example.

“Standing in a crowd with people covering faces with masks or scarves whilst the crowd shout obscenities and abuse is not something we should be anywhere near, never mind in the middle of. We all have a role to play in providing positive leadership and this falls shockingly short of it.”

The SDLP’s Matthew O’Toole said: “I work constructively with DUP reps who are able and personally very decent people. But the scenes from Scarva are a reminder of the unmistakable Paisleyite DNA which panders to and connives with thuggery, then plays dumb when called out. Appalling behaviour.”

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Ms Lockhart said police “came in very heavy” and she and other reps had to intervene

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A “bloodbath” was averted in the Co Down village of Scarva amid a pro-Palestine march and counter protest, a DUP MP has said.

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart made the comment as she continues to face criticism over her actions, and is accused of being “front and centre of a hostile, masked mob”.

Ms Lockhart said this was “utter rubbish” and that she was in Scarva with other unionist elected representatives to de-escalate tensions.

Speaking at Stormont on Monday, DUP leader Gavin Robinson said it was “entirely appropriate” that Ms Lockhart, along with MLAs Jonathan Buckley and Diane Forsythe, were there.

“I am pleased that they were prepared to be with the community, engage with the community, engage with the PSNI and ensure that a difficult situation didn’t spiral out of control,” he said.

“It had that potential.”

He also accused police of “impeding” the permitted counter-protest by blocking off Scarva bridge, adding “that caused difficulty”.

Police have said their policing operation was “appropriate and proportionate”.

Mr Robinson also said that police “have a job of work to do” in terms of reviewing the evidence they gathered from Scarva, in terms of whether Parades Commission conditions were broken.

“Police have told my colleagues that they will be pursuing those issues and prosecutions,” he added.

Hundreds turned out in Scarva on Saturday in opposition to the Great March for Gaza, organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), which was due to pass by on the Newry towpath en route from Lurgan to Newry.

There was a heavy police presence which focused on enforcing Parades Commission conditions of keeping those from the march from entering Scarva, and blocked off several bridges in the village.

Police resources made available included water cannons and armoured Land Rovers, as well as Tactical Support Group officers.

Ms Lockhart criticised the police presence, saying it caused disruption to local residents, did not reduce anxiety and tensions and blocked off Scarva Bridge where the counter demonstration had been planned to take place.

A large number of protesters instead staged a demonstration further up the village close to a new housing development, and just across a narrow canal from the march.

March organisers have contended they were faced with “slurs hurled from an un-notified counter protest in a field outside Scarva”.

During events, Ms Lockhart was photographed standing near masked individuals in Scarva as the march passed by.

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Ms Lockhart told the BBC she was on the ground, along with other unionist elected representatives, “seeking to de-escalate, keep the peace in what was a very volatile situation”.

She said police had “blocked” the bridge which had been the designated area for the counter protest, which she said “immediately made a bad situation worse”.

Protesters then made their way to the housing development further along the canal.

Ms Lockhart said police “came in very heavy”, and she, along with colleagues, “had to intervene, had to de-escalate, had to negotiate with the police, encourage the community and were able to keep what could have been an absolute bloodbath very quiet, peaceful, and ultimately no incidents”.

Sinn Fein South Down MP Chris Hazzard said from video footage and photographs of events in Scarva, people “can see very clearly the actions of Carla on the day – a public representative front and centre of masked men in 2026”.

He said crowds could be heard “intimidating, shouting vile, racist, sectarian abuse at families who were walking to raise awareness of genocide, and to raise funds for children that were dying in Gaza”.

“People can see those events very, very clearly… a public representative who decided to stand and facilitate and to embolden those people that were standing beside her doing that,” he said.

“I think the public were rightly disgusted at the images that came from Scarva on Saturday, and they’re completely unacceptable.”

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York College & University Centre BA first years studying creative practice, fashion and graphics teamed up with Steve Williams, garden manager of York Museum Gardens as part of a module which requires them to work with a real “client.”

A four-month project saw students draw inspiration and influences from layers of history, culture and environmental factors in the city’s green space, as well as themes from a specially created Japanese garden to the rear of York Art Gallery coinciding with its exhibition Making Waves: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print.

The students drew inspiration from the landmark site in Museum Street (Image: Kevin Glenton)

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The collaboration drew to a close on June 3 when students from the three cohorts presented their designs back to Steve.

Berenice Smith, a creative practice student, had interpreted the character, history and atmosphere of the garden in a single ceramic form.

Her inspiration for the form was drawn from the Multangular Tower, a ten-sided defence tower considered to be the best surviving pieces or Roman architecture in the city.

Berenice Smith said she drew inspiration for the form of her presentation piece from the Multangular Tower in York Museum Gardens (Image: Kevin Glenton)

She said: “The intention was to distil key elements of the garden into texture, form and symbolism, allowing the piece to evoke rather than replicate the site.

“I knew the Museum Gardens but like most people I wandered through, and this brief gave me the opportunity to look at it in more detail and work with other elements and facets of the gardens.”

Her final project work is in a narrative form, each of the five decorative elements covering a specific aspect of the site, including seasonal change, historical and religious significance and the Yorkshire Rose as a symbol of identity.

The Multangular Tower in York Museum Gardens is one of the many historic features (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Lynn Wood, course leader for the fashion cohort, said: “Our students took a slightly different approach – the same inspirations from the gardens but worked in groups and between them they could choose an aspect and present their designs as a collection.

“It is about them learning to communicate as a team and how to understand the different interpretations of a design throughout the process of constructing the final garment.”

Steve Williams was also shown a ceramic sculpture in his likeness designed by Steve Hullah, a student from the 3D creative practice programme, whose presentation was inspired by the “unsung heroes” of the Museum Gardens.

Steve Williams (left) with first year 3D creative design student Steve Hullah, with his work for the project (Image: Kevin Glenton)

 The graphics programme students worked with the same theme but their outcome covering print and book-making.

 Graphic and communication course leader Monica Gabb said: “The students all took a very different approach from one another – after initial workshops of teaching the skills in a variety of traditional print methods and a visit to Thin Ice Press in Peasholme Green where they worked on zine making on the risograph – they each chose their own preferred print & book binding method.

“One was a 3D layered foldout book combining lino and etching print methods – the book illustrated the resilience of the plants in the flood paths.

 “Another student worked on a two-colour printed zine which was informing an audience of the different species of trees in the garden and opened up into a stylised poster of two larger prints of trees.”

 “A new richness was brought to the module from the interaction with Steve and the gardens – the students loved working with someone who shared such passion in what he has constructed and continues to evolve.”

Part of the feature of the karesansui – dry landscape garden – on display in York Museum Gardens, behind York Art Gallery which uses stones from the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey which stands in the gardens (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Garden manager Steve Williams said: “It was fantastic to be involved in this project and to see the creativity and enthusiasm the students brought to it.

“The Museum Gardens are such a unique historic space, and it was wonderful to see the students responded in such imaginative and thoughtful ways.

“The quality of work was incredibly impressive, and we are really pleased to support the project.”

Tommy Fury has made a major announcement and could change his fight plans just days out from his clash against Eddie Hall

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Molly-Mae and Tommy Fury have confirmed their newborn is a boy as daughter Bambi met her little brother for the very first time. The couple first crossed paths on the hit ITV2 dating series Love Island in 2019 when Molly-Mae entered the villa as a bombshell alongside close friend Maura Higgins.

Despite not taking home the series win, the pair swiftly became the ‘it couple’ of their season and regularly offered fans a window into their personal lives. This included an engagement and the arrival of their daughter, Bambi, now aged three.

The couple announced their second pregnancy following the birth of Bambi in 2023 by sharing a heartwarming black-and-white video in which Molly-Mae unveiled her growing baby bump. Bambi could be spotted wearing a ‘big sister’ jumper, gleefully declaring: “I’m going to be a big sister!”

Shortly afterwards, Molly-Mae revealed she was already six months along in her pregnancy. She and boxing star Tommy, both 27, announced the safe arrival of their newest addition to the family on Wednesday, a little more than a week out from his bout with Eddie Hall.

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In a joint Instagram post, the couple shared a black-and-white photograph in which Molly-Mae, still dressed in her hospital gown, sat on her hospital bed with Tommy standing proudly at her side. Both parents gazed down adoringly at their newborn, while Bambi fussed over her new sibling.

Molly confirmed the arrival of a baby boy in a charming video posted on Sunday. As Molly sat up in her hospital bed, Tommy walked in with an eager Bambi, ready to meet her new brother for the first time.

Bambi was then seen sitting with her arms outstretched, before Tommy gently lifted her baby brother into her embrace for the first time. In the clip, Molly can be heard saying, “There’s your little brother” as the now-family-of-four savoured their first moments together.

In a recent YouTube video, Molly hinted at how she might unveil the name of her second child. Tommy is set to return to the ring for the first time in nearly a year when he faces former world’s strongest man Hall on Saturday.

The bout is scheduled to take place at the AO Arena as part of the latest Misfits card, broadcast live on DAZN. Fury usually has the name ‘Bambi’ emblazoned on his fight shorts but could now use the occasion to announce the name of his first son, according to his partner.

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She said: “I’ve been designing Tommy’s shorts for his fight and I’m thinking about potentially putting…I’m thinking, ‘Do I put the name of baby number two on his fight shorts? Because he always has Bambi’s name on his fight shorts, and I don’t want to leave the second baby off.

“But also maybe that’s how we announce the name on his fight shorts. That would actually be quite cool. Fight on the 13th [of June] with Eddie Hall. So we’ve got a lot to look forward to, guys. There’s a lot coming up in the next few weeks.”

“Welcome to this random tunnel in London,” Mike D begins, addressing a crowd of melting people in a Waterloo railway arch, the latest stop in his first solo tour, which he’s chosen to undertake in esoteric venues around the UK – think bingo halls and working men’s club. Why do this? Well it’s to do with his esoteric approach to music, as one of Beastie Boys who made eccentricity, risk and japes, into some of the greatest hip-hop ever. You also sense that given this is his first musical foray, beyond producing others people’s records, since the death of Adam Yauch in 2012 – with him being open about his struggles after the death of his friend – he’s building back up from the basics. Trying out his new music, his new band, in a humble manner, rather than just playing Beasties’ Best Of at The O2.

The bank giant is making sweeping closures between now and October 2026.

Several Scottish high streets are set to lose their Bank of Scotland’s starting from this month. The group is the latest banking firm to announce closures this year.

Between now and October 2026, the Edinburgh-based bank giant has confirmed it will be shuttering branches located in 12 areas. These will kick off with the Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, branch later this month on Wednesday, June 10.

Other locations earmarked for closure over the coming months include Grangemouth, Largs, Hawick, Blairgowrie and Haddington. It comes days after the Garrowhill and Penicuik branches closed down on June 4, taking the total over the next few months to 14.

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Cash machines available at the affected locations will also be closed down. More information about where to find another free-to-use alternative in the same area can be found on the Bank of Scotland website.

The closures are being made in areas where customers are preferring to use mobile banking, rather than visiting a in-person branch. In documents for each affected area, the bank wrote: “Before we close any branch, we look at how customers are doing their banking.

“Most customers prefer to use our mobile app, online banking or call us.”

It means that Bank of Scotland customers in each area will need to find alternative ways to access their bank and cash. This includes online by using the mobile banking app that is “simple and safe to use.”

They can also visit an alternative cash machine or Post Office. For those who prefer a in-person experience, they can do so by heading to a Halifax or Lloyds branches in the same area since they are part of the same family that owns the Bank of Scotland.

Cash access network Link is now said to be reviewing access to cash in some of the locations included on the list of closures. The outcome of the review will be available on the UK ATM network’s website.

This will see Hawick get a banking hub when its branch closes down on October 7. This is a a shared banking space that is owned by Cash Access UK and run by the Post Office, with operating hours being 9am to 5pm between Monday to Friday.

Those within Kelso will be able to receive more support when a community banker visits the area following the closure of its only branch later this month on June 18.

It’s just the latest round of bank closures to affect the UK recently. With more customers choosing to bank digitally for their everyday needs, many other firms have been making similar moves.

Just last week NatWest reported that it would be shuttering six Scottish Royal Bank of Scotland branches between September 8-17. These will be Arbroath, Biggar, Castle Douglas, Giffnock, Milngavie and Motherwell.

In a statement on Friday morning, the bank advised that these would “be the last” closures it would make within three years, as it pledges not to shut anymore of its Natwest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank brands until at least 2029.

Lloyds and Halifax has also closed down several branches across the UK, although these have not affected Scotland, only England and Wales. The Daily Record previously reported on the full list of areas that would be shuttering back in February.

Full list of Bank of Scotland closures

Upcoming closures

• Bridge of Don – June 10
• Haddington – June 11
• Rutherglen – June 11
• Broughty Ferry – June 15
• Blairgowrie – June 18
• Stonehaven – June 18
• Kelso – June 18
• Lochgilphead – June 22
• Benbecula – July 1
• Largs – July 29
• Hawick – October 7
• Grangemouth – October 8

Branches already closed

• Garrowhill – closed June 4.
• Penicuik- Closed June 4

The 2026 World Cup is about to kick-off, and that means we are about to bear witness to the greatest array of international football shirts ever seen.

For the first time, 48 nations will take part in the men’s tournament, so we have reviewed every home and away shirt to make a 96-strong list of sartorial delights and disappointments in North America this summer.

It has been another strong showing from Adidas and Puma, while the good people at Jako deliver a surprise entrant into our top 10.

Why are Ghana wearing a spider web? What is that on Haiti’s hip? Why have Croatia made us angry? And which kit has won our highly coveted top spot? Please do tell us where we’ve gone badly wrong in the comments below.

So, from worst to best, from the visually upsetting to the optically arousing, here are our World Cup 2026 kit rankings.

96. South Korea home: We have to start somewhere, and we’re starting with this ugly pattern. Are they hills, volcanoes, clouds? Over to Nike, who explain: “The head-to-toe camo print embodies an ambush of tigers striking together at any moment.” No it doesn’t.

95. Switzerland away: It’s like a toddler wielding a highlighter pen got hold of the designs of an otherwise acceptable shirt. This is fine for goalkeepers, but otherwise, no thanks. Although as always with Switzerland, the crest is a big plus.

94. Australia away: A very bold fade from pink to green, and we’re not having it.

93. Argentina away: Garish, in a bad way.

92. Paraguay home: Torn over whether this is a child’s crayon drawing or just a great shirt, and after much deliberation we’ve come down on the side of nursery artwork. Which, as we all know, goes straight in the bin.

91. Bosnia and Herzegovina home: Welcome to the game, Kelme. And what have we got here? Two bold blue lines over the top of a dragon motif? That’s… that’s not a great start.

90. Croatia home: This is the only shirt on the list that makes us angry. Croatia is a great kit that doesn’t need reimagining, yet every tournament it gets fiddled! This time, someone at Nike has etch-a-sketched out the middle of a very attractive, near perfect Croatia shirt. And we’re unhappy about it.

89. Netherlands home: The Dutch shirt should not be hard to get right but the fluorescent edge to this one is too much. The big central crest looks a bit village too.

88. Japan home: Probably a bit harsh to place this 88th in a list of 96 shirts. But it’s a bit odd, and it’s here now.

87. Cape Verde away: A bit bland. Like eating dry toast. These lads flew to the World Cup signing and dancing on the plane. They deserve more.

86. Ghana home: Sorry, Ghana. We’ve really tried to love this shirt. We’ve tried turning it around, upside down. We’ve squinted at it. We’ve read about the mythical spider in Ghanaian folklore it is meant to invoke. But ultimately, it is a bit of a mess.

85. Uruguay away: Sorry but that’s a USA shirt and we won’t be taking any questions on the matter.

84. England away: The central crest gives it a slight Pro-Evo feel, which is not a good thing, and the background is a bit… weird.

83. DR Congo away: Colour fades generally don’t work but this one is not bad, although it’s less DR Congo and more San Marino. Side point: it’s not dissimilar to the home colour, and being dissimilar really is the raison d’etre of any away shirt.

82. France home: The lighter blue French shirts will always be better, and the zig-zag background is a bit much.

81. Mexico away: Not colourful enough to feel Mexican – it seems like something Germany should be wearing.

80. Netherlands away: A bit better from the Netherlands, this, but not much.

79. Norway away: We like simplicity, but is this too simple? “The stripped-down, striking visual honours the country’s viking history and celebrates the squad’s raw, Norse confidence,” claims Nike. Sorry, we’re not having it.

78. Saudi Arabia home: Makes us want to play Tetris.

77. Egypt home: It’s giving a vibe of not actually having the image rights to the pyramids, like when the early versions of Pro Evolution Soccer didn’t own naming rights and players were called things like Ruud van Nistelstrom.

76. Qatar away: There’s clean and simple, and then there’s just bland.

75. Bosnia and Herzegovina away: Kelme are back for more, and this one is less of an assault on the iris, which is something. Or would that be the pupil, technically? Suppose really the retina is doing the heavy lifting, image-wise. Anyway, it’s unremarkable.

74. Curacao home: A little uninspiring, which is a shame, because as we will discuss later, the away shirt is a beauty.

73. Turkey home: Quite a lot to dislike here. The strange pattern, the horizontal block line, the centralised crest. It’s just not working.

72. Switzerland home: A bit odd but broadly fine. And the crest is a big plus.

71. Uzbekistan home: Into the fray step 7Saber, with a similar blocky style to Saudi Arabia. The collar’s quite fun but the rest of it, we can take or leave.

70. Uzbekistan away: Pretty similar.

69. Brazil away: Vinicius and company will make this look good, we’ve no doubt, but it does look a bit like someone’s had a spillage.

68. New Zealand home: It’s a little plain but the subtle fern-inspired background is pleasant enough. And black shirts are almost always cool, so that helps.

67. Paraguay away: Psychedelic.

66. Scotland home: Classic, solid, no mistakes here. But a bit… safe?

65. Australia home: A little plain.

64. Iran home: We would usually question the aesthetic benefit of printing the ghost of a big cat’s face on a football shirt, but given it is there to raise awareness of the plight of the Asiatic cheetah, we approve. The sleeve print is a nice touch, too.

63. Sweden home: A touch boring, maybe, but broadly acceptable.

62. Turkey away: A bit better than the home shirt.

61. Argentina home: It looks great from a distance. But look closely and the faded, blocky stripes are a little ugly.

60. Egypt away: We’ve just noticed Puma are putting Pumas on all of their shirt shoulders and we can’t stop noticing it now.

59. Iran away: Much the same as the home edition, but better.

58. Panama away: Panama’s third shirt is absolutely lovely – Scotland Euro 96 vibes – but we are only allowing home and away kits into these rankings or we’d not have time to see our family, and unfortunately the away shirt is a little underwhelming.

57. Jordan home: This is a bit better from Kelme, upping their game with a fun shoulder pattern and some subtle striping down the body.

56. Jordan away: Much the same but in reverse.

55. Tunisia home: Kappa, welcome! This one is absolutely OK.

54. Tunisia away: Likewise. Thanks, Kappa.

53. Canada home: The maple leaf motif is a little gimmicky, but we’re feeling generous.

52. Cape Verde home: Jazzy.

51. Croatia away: This one works slightly better than the home shirt but we’re still thinking about it.

50. England home: Sharp trim, fine lines, classic colours. A solid effort.

49. South Korea away: Korea’s purple flowers are a big room-splitter, and we’ve toyed with putting this shirt at the very bottom of our rankings. But no, it’s daring and original, and Korea already have one shirt down there, so we’re giving this one The Independent’s official stamp of mediocrity.

48. New Zealand away: That background pattern symbolises “the four winds that bring the country together”, say Puma. We don’t mind it, and we like the white sleeves and collar which gives this kit a clean look. Though if we’re being picky, which we are, the black Puma and white fern are slightly jarring together.

47. Algeria away: The red trim elevates this shirt with some smart detail.

46. Austria home: Good solid colours, bold blocks, hard lines. Very Austrian.

45. Belgium home: Feels like classic Belgian fare, and we’re happy with it.

44. Qatar home: Funky pattern. Don’t mind it.

43. Ecuador home: Perfectly nice. We move on.

42. Morocco away: We love the background pattern here. The sleeves just need a little something.

41. Czechia home: Absolutely fine, middle of the road, a solid football shirt. The button is a nice detail.

40. Portugal home: Wavy. Uncomplicated.

39. South Africa home: Yep, smart pattern here, good colours, distinctly South African feel.

38. Ivory Coast home: Orange, in a good way.

37. Czechia away: It’s quite bold to dabble with gold when you’re anyone other than Brazil or Germany, basically – deep World Cup heritage. But fair play to Czechia, who’ve gone for it anyway, lifting what is otherwise a pleasant shirt.

36. Iraq home: The good people at Jako tend to pull out the odd banger and the away version of this shirt is particularly eye-catching. But we like the design on the home shirt too.

35. Germany away: The three little diamonds make for a neat pattern and the colours are sharp. It’s a lovely aesthetic.

34. Spain home: This shirt doesn’t say a lot in isolation, but the sleeves tie in nicely with the shorts and there’s a yellow strip on the shoulders which we also enjoy. Perhaps not one of Spain’s great World Cup shirts but a good effort.

33. Brazil home: Sometimes a simple, classic design works best, especially for nations with aura embedded in the crest. There are shades of 2002 here in the green trim down the sides and around the neck line.

32. Colombia home: Inspired by magical realism, says Adidas, whatever that is. But we like this shirt: good solid Colombian colours, a neat background pattern, a pleasant shoulder trim. Well done to all involved.

31. Haiti home: OK, nice little collar, bold blue body, a powerful scene depicting silhouettes of Haiti’s independence heroes triumphantly raising the national flag, smart red sleeve trim… Hold on, what?

Now, if basically any other country had done this it would be an abomination, but a quick Google tells us the Haitian Revolution is widely regarded as the only successful large-scale slave revolt in human history, creating the first Black republic in the world, so we say bravo.

30. Haiti away: This one is even more pleasing than the home shirt, given the way the flag’s colours stand out.

29. Panama home: A nice colour, a nice collar. Nice.

28. Portugal away: This could be quite Marmite but we’re feeling generous. Like the colour, like the waves, just about like the V.

27. Saudi Arabia away: Almost all of the Adidas away kits are superb and this is another. It’s quite simple and yet really sharp and clean. We need to again call out the use of gold, which should be reserved for football royalty, but other than that it’s a lovely entrant.

26. Algeria home: Creamy. The pattern is nice and subtle.

25. Ghana away: The pattern is based on Accra’s Makola Market, says Puma, and why not. A sunny shade, too. All together a pleasing edition.

24. Sweden away: We really like the design but the issue here is that it’s not very Swedish. It’s Brazilian, maybe, or Colombian, perhaps. Even so, it’s a lovely thing.

23. Ivory Coast away: This was briefly in the ‘terrible’ pile but we reconsidered and decided it is actually so bold and mad that it’s great. It’s in the ‘excellent’ pile and it’s not moving.

22. Morocco home: Collar of the tournament.

21. Senegal away: Yeah we like this a lot. Slightly running out of things to say about football shirts at this point if truth be told. If you’re still with us, thanks, great stamina. We’re on the home straight…

20. South Africa away: Another away belter from Adidas, although – and maybe this is just because we know it’s South Africa – we can’t stop thinking this is a Cricket World Cup shirt from some time in the 2010s. Still, there’s a lot to like here.

19. United States away: This is pretty great, with the faint black stars in the background and the thin red trim over the shoulders. Black shirts are almost always cool and this one is a doozy.

18. United States home: Setting aside the USA’s obsession with its flag, this is just objectively a great shirt. It is very American, which is important, it’s distinctive, it’s bright and it’s pretty to look at. Much better than some of the bland stuff they’ve worn before. Oh, and we just got it – two shirts, stars and stripes. Very good.

17. Canada away: Is it a constellation or a light dust of icing? Either way, this looks great.

16. DR Congo home: Umbro’s sole entrant to the World Cup is DR Congo, and it’s a belter. Is it blue fire? Is it the back of a large frog? We’re not sure.

15. Japan away: We love a pinstripe, as previous World Cup kit rankings will attest, and even though this one looks like it’s been done by a four-year-old with a box of crayons, we approve this effort by Japan.

14. Norway home: We see what you’ve done here, Norway: you’re wearing a big flag. We like it, and Erling Haaland is going to look majestic in this thing. We’re not sure how far Norway will go in the World Cup but their shirt is a big plus! Cheers, all.

13. Scotland away: What a shade. Salmon, terracotta, coral? Whatever it is, we like it.

12. Ecuador away: Now, this we like this from the good people at Marathon. It’s a deep, moody shade of blue with a great collar, and Moises Caicedo will make some authoritative tackles in this thing.

11. Spain away: We really like this. It’s simple but neat and crisp, like a Xavi pass.

10. Austria away: One of Puma’s best this summer – the watercolour splodges work somehow, and we like the faint gold pattern on top. We called Czechia out for dabbling with gold and it is risky, but Austria have got away with it.

9. Iraq away: Here’s the Iraq away shirt we mentioned earlier, and it’s a cracker.

8. Uruguay home: A picture of elegance. The sort of shirt you want to wine and dine at a high-end restaurant on a first date. Darwin Nunez is going to look incredibly sharp hitting the post from a variety of ranges wearing this thing.

7. Belgium away: Inspired by Belgium’s surrealist movement, says Adidas. Garish, in a great way. It’s perilously close to being awful, but we love it.

6. France away: Well this is lovely. The mint green, the subtle tricolour sleeve trim, the understated neckline. Overall it doesn’t feel very French (Portugal, away, maybe?) but it’s a very fine shirt.

5. Senegal home: This could just be quite a nice T-shirt. But it makes a really great football shirt.

4. Mexico home: Mexico have topped our kit rankings in years gone by with an Aztec pattern similar to this one, and this summer’s home shirt is a very cool version on the same theme.

3. Germany home: We love a throwback and this has nostalgic shades of Italia 90 and USA 94, both elite Germany shirts, while standing on its own as a fine design. Hopefully Germany go far just so this shirt has its own bit of football legacy.

2. Colombia away: Yes, Colombia! This pattern has a distinct World Cup flavour with notes of summer, samba and South America. If the home shirt is the heart of Colombia, the away kit is a little slice of Caribbean coast. You could wear this to a summer barbecue and be the coolest person there. Though worth noting that if someone else was also wearing the same shirt at said barbecue, you’d both look a bit tragic. We don’t make the rules.

1. Curacao away: It’s perfect. The soft yellow tone, the bold blue sleeves, the old-school Adidas logo, the shoulder stripes. Even the collar is exquisite, and the bright colours writing out “Curacao” over the shoulder blades hint at a nation in North America for a good time, not a long time. We have our king.

Thanks for reading. Please do tell us where we’ve gone badly wrong in the comments below…