George Altirs had a problem.
He’d just launched a youth soccer program in northern New Jersey, and he had a precise vision for the uniforms—a specific shade of green featured on the flag of his native Lebanon. But when Altirs, the founder of fashion apparel manufacturer GMA Accessories, went to order uniforms through big brands like Nike and Adidas, he was told he’d have to settle for a more generic color.
“So I called my wife and said, ‘Let’s design a few uniforms, we’ll make them in the factory that we own in China,’” Altirs recalled in an interview. GMA’s portfolio included a brand called Capelli New York, so when it came time to put a logo on his youth club’s uniforms, Altirs chose Capelli Sport. “And that’s how it started, as 24 uniforms for 15 kids.”
Fifteen years later, Capelli Sport has reached soccer’s biggest stage. Altirs’ company, which has grown beyond its youth soccer roots, is outfitting Cape Verde, which makes its World Cup debut on Monday afternoon against tournament co-favorite Spain. The Blue Sharks (Tubarões Azuis in Portuguese) have later group stage games against Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
Altirs has eyed the 2026 World Cup for years and originally banked on Capelli reaching the tournament via other teams. His company partnered with Trinidad & Tobago in 2023 and 13-time World Cup participant Serbia in mid-2025, but neither managed to qualify this time around.
