He designs shirts for clubs: “The most gratifying thing is to see people buy them”.

For the past three years, this Pecquencourt resident, who goes by the name Soto, has been designing jerseys for clubs such as RC Lens and Mets en baskets, both in France and abroad. 

Mets en baskets, in France and abroad. It's a job for detail-oriented enthusiasts.

For Saint Barbara's Day, Soto designed the RC Lens jersey for the match against Lyon last December.

Ask Soto what he thinks of the French national soccer team's new jersey, and he'll give you a detailed analysis, 

from every angle: “It's inspired by the 80s. I think it's too distinctive, with too many stripes. There's also

neckline and sleeves. On the other hand, I like the huge rooster, which is very '70s. 

Over the past three years, Mathieu Soto (a diminutive of his real name, which he doesn't wish to reveal, nor does he want 

to show his face either) has made a name for himself in jersey design. He has produced over 150 in four different countries.

Trained at Esmod in Roubaix, then in Paris, the Pecquencourt native now works for major brands and clubs, but also for amateurs. His latest highlight is a jersey for RC Lens (his club) for Sainte-Barbe, in 

December 2023. For the occasion, he didn't use the traditional “sang et or” colors (a tribute to Spain), but the original green 

(which was accompanied by black).

The jersey has sold very well, but he's not making any money. “Too bad”, jokes the man who works an average of 70 

hours on each project.

The designer proposes a single jersey

Most of the time, it's brands or clubs that approach him to create a visual for a jersey. “We have a briefing 

we talk a lot about the club's values, history and so on. From there, we come up with a design”, explains Soto, who insists on the time he spends 

on the time spent determining what everyone doesn't want. Because then, after presenting the “path”, validated by the

customer, the designer proposes a single jersey, which is sometimes reworked slightly. It's an illusion to give a choice,” he says. 

when you can choose, you do it by default and it doesn't change afterwards,” he says.

As he rewinds the (not so) long thread of his life, Soto remembers when he was 9, reading the comic strip Eric Castel . After finishing 

the character and change his jersey. In 2002, his talent for athletics and good times in the 1,500-meter

meters gave him a glimpse of a career, but a knee injury dashed his dreams. He then entered Esmod and followed a 

where he worked exclusively by hand. When he approached Decathlon, he was told that he needed to master 

graphic design software if he wanted to get in. So he trained in Illustrator and Photoshop.

How many freelance jersey designers are there like him? “In France, very few. Three who work regularly 

like me,” he says. What he likes best about his job: “It's always being challenged. “What's most 

rewarding is to see people buy the jersey. To see their reaction