The incidents occurred during varied physical exchanges rather than one isolated contest. Pavel Sulc was left with a large hole after being pulled back by Lee Han-beom, while Gustavo Gomez saw his jersey torn down the side during a tussle with Folarin Balogun.
Further damage affected Mostafa Zico in Egypt’s match with Belgium and Neil El Aynaoui during Scotland’s meeting with Morocco. The spread across four fixtures has placed greater focus on the durability of Puma’s latest design.
The problem has also extended beyond shirts. Ben Old needed replacement shorts after being caught under a challenge from Yasser Ibrahim, with play continuing before Egypt scored to move 2-1 ahead.
Puma says the Ultraweave shirts weigh 72 grams and are made from recycled polyester designed to reduce friction. The company argues that lighter materials improve comfort, movement and breathability, while insisting the damage did not affect performance.
“As football is a high-contact sport, garments can be affected when jerseys are subject to severe force or extreme physical stress,” Puma said.
That defence is plausible in a sport where shirts are routinely pulled, but the frequency of the incidents creates a clear commercial concern. Players may prefer lighter equipment, yet teams and supporters also expect match kits to withstand normal contact without repeated substitutions.
The issue carries added weight because Puma faced similar questions at Euro 2016, when several Switzerland players tore their shirts against France. The latest incidents therefore look less like a one-off curiosity and more like a test of whether lighter construction has reduced the margin for durability.
Puma supplies several World Cup teams, including Austria, Netherlands, Portugal, Senegal and Switzerland. Their next fixtures will show whether the early damage remains an isolated storyline or develops into a tournament-wide kit problem.