Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH is to offer an exclusive, free downloadable version of the new Umbro England strip to users of its PES 2009 title for PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360 and PC-DVD.

PES 2009 is the official video game of the England team, and the free download highlights the close relationship between the two. Umbro will unveil the innovative new kit on March 28, when England take on Slovakia at Wembley.

Fabio Capello’s team will wear the strip for the first time for the international match and while details of the strip are currently being kept under wraps it has been designed to a strict specification from the England manager to provide a bespoke tailored fit for each player.

Konami’s download will be available at the same time as the Slovakia game’s 5:15pm kick-off, and PES 2009 will be the only video game to feature the new kit. Similarly, Konami will be working closely with Umbro and The FA in a series of activities designed to promote the new strip and download.

PES 2009 is the most recent installment of the award-winning Pro Evolution Soccer Series, which is known by millions of fans for its superior gameplay and incredible realism. In PES 2009, Konami has created an intuitive and utterly realistic simulation that truly recreates the entire pace and skill of a top-level match. Stunning visuals and animation ensure its players look and move exactly like their real-life counterparts, while all-new options allow users to tailor the game to their own tastes. New moves, innovative new control elements and key online modes add to the realism of the game.

“Konami is extremely proud of its status as the official video game of the England team, and this download showcases the strength of our relationship with The FA and Umbro,” commented Jon Murphy, PES Team Leader for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “Our Japanese team has been working closely with both parties to ensure the innovative new kit is faithfully recreated in the game, and we are delighted to be able to offer it as a free download to our millions of fans on the day it is revealed for the first time.”

“The FA is delighted to be working with Konami and Umbro to deliver fans of the England team the new strip in an inventive manner,” said Sean McAuliffe, Head of Business Development at The FA. “This further demonstrates our ability to leverage our commercial relationships in creative and engaging ways.”

“We are extremely excited to be working with Konami on this project and being the first to launch a new kit download during the season in PES 2009,” added Tim Parkinson, Umbro Chief Marketing Officer. “Umbro has a rich heritage in football and innovation has always been at the heart of the brand. The exclusive download with Konami is just another innovative step for Umbro. This and the ongoing relationship with Konami presented an opportunity to do something radically different around the launch of the kit.”

PES 2009 is available now for PLAYSTATION(R)3, Xbox 360 and PC-DVD. The England kit update will be free to download on March 28th from 4:15pm.

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