The exchanging of jerseys at the end of a soccer match is a longtime ritual that is well established in the sport, even as it has evolved. With each swap — like the ones that take place after games in this World Cup — there is usually a story.
Often the tales are personal, speaking to a player’s standing in the game or marking a chapter in his career.
As for the jerseys themselves, sometimes they are washed, sometimes not. Sometimes they end up being given away, auctioned off, framed for display in a player’s home, boxed up in storage, or — as Berhalter learned — who knows where?
via Jersey Swaps, a Ritual That Comes With a Story – NYTimes.com.