The best football kits ever - from the iconic to the insane
To celebrate the 50th edition of These Football Times (our favourite football magazine FYI), we were asked to compile a list of the 50 greatest football shirts ever.
It was a task that nearly broke us because there are SO MANY bonafide classics to choose from. Beauty, of course, is in the eye of the beholder so if you don't agree with our picks, we can only apologise (please tell us what we missed or got wrong in the comments below).
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Right, let's get into it...
Denmark - 1986 Home
One of the great templates – the only question was which should we pick. Coventry? Villa? Southampton? Verona? No, the answer is of course Denmark, the pioneers of Hummel’s masterpiece back in Mexico ’86. This kit deserves its place on aesthetics alone but it was more than a delicious piece of eye candy – with its futuristic half and half design, this helped set the tone for a more risk-taking style of jersey manufacture in the years that followed.
Cameroon - 1990 Home
Cameroon quickly became the story of Italia ’90 when a team largely made up of players from the French second division beat defending champions Argentina in the opening fixture at San Siro. There was so much to love about Valery Nepomnyashchy’s Indomitable Lions – brute physicality (just ask Claudio Caniggia), a swashbuckling style, and a never-say-die attitude. Oh – and their kit, too. It might have only been an adidas template but the vibrant colours and huge lion badge combined to make this something very special, just like the team who wore it.
Marseille - 1990/91 Home
Have you seen the photo of a 20-something Eric Cantona wearing this (and a sheepish smile), his forefinger pointing directly at the camera? If there was any confliction in your mind about the sartorial excellence of this adidas Marseille shirt, that image will dispel those doubts in an instant. Why is this so great? Is it the shininess of the fabric, the slightly oversized trefoil, the Panasonic logo in matching light blue, the red trim on the collar? Who knows. In the end it doesn’t matter – all that counts is that it existed in the first place.
AC Milan - 1988/90 Home
This is, indisputably, a beautiful shirt. And when worn by Ruud Gullit in his prime, it is fabric-made-art. The Dutchman was at his absolute peak, physically and professionally, in the late 80s. Signing for Milan in 1987, the skills learnt playing street football in the confines of the Rozendwarsstraat helped establish Gullit as one of Serie A’s most searing talents. Arrigo Sacchi’s team won back-to-back European Cups in ‘89 and ’90, and the Rossoneri – in particular big Ruud – looked sensational in their Kappa stripes as they conquered the continent.
Sampdoria - 1990/92 Home
Sampdoria won their only Scudetto in 1990/91, the Blucerchiati defying the odds to outshine Milan, Inter and Juve. And they did it in one of the great Sampdoria shirts. Produced by Asics and worn with elegance by Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli, the understated collar, classic white, red and black stripes across the chest, and that lovely italicised ERG sponsor combine to make this a jersey fit for champions.
Mexico - 1998 Home
France ’98 was a tournament that featured, above all else, a collection of really, really nice football shirts. Jamaica, Croatia, Japan, Scotland, South Korea, France, Brazil, Holland… the list goes on and on. But it is surely Mexico who stole the show. The design of El Tri’s Aba Sport jersey was modelled on the sunstone of the Aztec calendar and it looked like nothing we’d seen before. There were three colourways – green, white, and green and red. All are worthy of a place on this list but we’ve gone with the green home jersey, which really helps the graphic to pop.
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Ajax - 1987/89 Home
Kappa produced just two home shirts for Ajax during their all-too-brief four-year partnership, the second of which was this masterpiece. Worn by Johan Cruyff as he brought down the curtain on his playing career in the city where it all began, the thick, clean stripes combined with an elegant collar, vintage Ajax badge and TDK sponsor make this one of the greats.
Colombia - 1990 Away
Colombia's home shirt from Italia 90 is fondly remembered - so much so that adidas paid homage to it in 2018. However, we reckon it's the red away jersey from the same tournament that was the real gem. It follows the same design as the home shirt but, well, is just better. Colombia wore this shirt in all three of their Group D games before switching back to their traditional yellow in the round of 16 where they were eliminated by Cameroon. Coincidence? Not a chance.
Dortmund - 1990/91 Home
This was the first Dortmund shirt of the Nike era - a period that would run into the new Millennium and which would deliver banger after banger. However, we think their inaugural offering might just be the best of the lot. The black shoulder graphic, futura logo, and the iconic Die Continentale sponsor make this very, very wunderschön.
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Napoli - 1989/90 Home
Back in 1989/90, Napoli were cruising to their second Scudetto in four years. Led by Diego Maradona, Gli Azzurri looked resplendent in their Ennerre kits. In truth, there isn't much to choose between any of the Napoli jerseys produced by NR, the sportswear brand created by Nicola Raccuglia, a former player with Palermo and Vicenza. However, we reckon the Mars logo elevates this one above the others by the width of a string of spaghetti.
Inter Milan - 1997/98 UEFA Cup shirt
You’ve seen the video: Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima playing for Inter at Spartak Moscow, the Brazilian tormenting defenders on a pitch that resembled the Somme. His genius that night propelled Inter to the Uefa Cup final where, in an all-Italian clash, he would once again beguile and bully his markers (plural) as the Nerazzurri triumphed over Lazio. The shirt they wore during that Uefa Cup campaign has become a gold-plated classic – and rightly so.
Club America - 1994/95 Home
The fact is we could have picked any of the clubs blessed with this 1994 adidas template because they are all divine - but Club America get the nod on account of their sensational badge and the aesthetic allure of the Coca-Cola logo. The adidas diamond template, as it was called, first came to prominence at USA ’94 when Jurgen Klinsmann, Lothar Matthäus and Rudi Völler stepped out wearing it and the following season it was used extensively in Europe and Latin America. The design was so good, Nike resurrected it for Club America in 2017.
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Nigeria - 1994 Home
What is it with Nigeria and epic football shirts? Way back before that 2018 World Cup jersey, the West Africans already had plenty of grails in their back catalogue. It’s genuinely tough to decide which was their greatest ever – there is no wrong answer, of course – so we’re throwing our hat on the 1994 adidas home shirt, worn by the Super Eagles’ golden generation in their World Cup campaign in the USA. Close your eyes and picture Jay Jay Okocha weaving that sweet magic wearing this masterpiece. Good times.
Palmeiras - 1990/91 Home
This makes the list for the following reasons: massive adidas trefoil, Coca-Cola sponsor, thick white v-neck, and one of the greatest club badges in world football. Is that enough for you? It should be. If you were wondering, the choice of green for their shirts is rooted in the club's history - Palmeiras was founded in 1914 by Italian immigrants and their choice of kit colour is likely to have been inspired by the green in the Italian flag. So now you know.
Barcelona - 1995/97 Away
This Gaudi-inspired classic, worn by Ronaldo, Pep Guardiola and Luis Figo, coincided with the end of an era at Camp Nou when Johan Cruyff was sacked by the Catalans in May 1996 after eight years in charge. The following season, Bobby Robson guided Barca to the Cup Winners’ Cup and Copa del Rey, although even that wasn’t enough to keep him in his role. This away jersey was the penultimate effort from Kappa before they would be usurped by Nike – and it is arguably the manufacturer’s magnum opus. The colour and design have inspired a number of other Barca kits in the years since.
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Netherlands - 1988 Home
The late 80s marked a turning point for football shirt design. Manufacturers started to take bigger risks, experimenting with eye-catching graphics and bolder colourways – and football was all the richer for it. Not everyone liked it, though. Holland’s Euro ’88 jersey is a case in point. It is, these days, a bonafide grail. If you own this and it’s in half decent condition, you are a) probably smug and b) sitting on an asset worth a few hundred quid. But back then, opinions were divided – nowhere more so than among the Dutch players themselves. Ruud Gullit was famously not a fan, describing the angled oblong graphic as something akin to fish scales. Anyway, sometimes it takes chronological distance to appreciate art – and that mantra very much applies here.
Roma - 1991/92 Third
Before their recent reunion, adidas only supplied Roma’s shirts for three years – between 1991 and 1994. The first season of that relationship unleashed three absolute bangers – while the home and away jerseys are eye-wateringly gorgeous, it is the third shirt that really takes the biscotti. The deep blue, combined with red and yellow trim, is a joy. Chuck in the wolf logo and that Barilla sponsor font and you have yourselves an icon.
Parma - 1999/00 Home
In the 90s, there was no finer league than Serie A. Italian football was otherworldly, a glamourous cocktail of global superstars, huge stadia and eccentric owners. It was football’s Hollywood. And back then few teams were as box office as Parma, the little club with grand ideas. Back in 1999, they boasted a squad that included Gianluigi Buffon, Hernán Crespo, Ariel Ortega, Fabio Cannavaro and Lilian Thuram. They had a kit to match that talent, too – supplied by Champion, a brand more commonly associated with the NBA.
Manchester United - 1992/94 Third
You know the story: United were formed under the name ‘Newton Heath Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Football Club’ way back in 1878 (only becoming Manchester United in 1902). During those initial years, the club wore yellow and green, hence Umbro’s homage to United’s origins some 90 years later. It’s a great shirt in its own right but has become even more special during the last decade or so, with frustrated supporters adopting yellow and green as colour of protest as they make clear their unhappiness with the Glazer regime.
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Inter Milan - 1991/93 Away
It’s still crazy to think that a little company from Wilmslow wound up making kits for some of the biggest name in world football. Umbro had a huge role to play in 90s kit culture – a decade that, let’s be honest, is the greatest when it comes to brilliant/insane shirts. Back in 1991, the company took on the Inter contract and duly delivered three outstanding jerseys. While the home and third shirts are sublime, it is that white away with stretched blue and black triangles that really hits the mark.
Newcastle United - 1995/96 Away
Given its perpetual popularity, it’s strange to think that this shirt was only used five times by Newcastle – and not once after October 1995. Combined with ecru shorts, the maroon and blue hooped kit was the first Geordie away shirt from adidas and paid homage to the jerseys worn by Newcastle West End. The unusual colours and the use of the same grandad collar that featured on that season’s home kit combined to make this something special. It also helps that it was worn by Kevin Keegan’s entertainers. How good did David Ginola look in it, by the way?
Boca Juniors - 1981/82 Home
There had to be a Boca kit on this list, right? The question is: which one, because there are a tonne of contenders. The simplicity of the 1981/82 shirt is enough to earn its place though - that plus the CABJ starred font on the chest, which the club has revisited in recent seasons. Doesn’t hurt that it was worn by a certain Diego Maradona, either.
France - 1982 Home
France don’t do bad kits, they only deal in magnifique belters, like this classic from 1982. The white and red pin stripes, not to mention that oversized cockerel, elevate this to god-like status and evoke memories of an extremely sweaty Michel Platini, gold chain round his neck, doing bits in the Seville heat as France succumbed to Germany in the 1982 World Cup semi-final.
Venezia - 2021/22 Away
The Kappa x Venezia link-up has certainly raised the bar for kit design, eschewing in a sartorial elegance rarely seen on the football pitch or terraces. You won’t see either (pitch, terraces) in any of the marketing, though. This is fashion, not sports apparel. The Winged Lions’ 2021/22 away shirt takes inspiration from the city’s long tradition of mosaic art, while the gold accents are a nod to the gilded facade that once fronted the Ca’ d’Oro, a historic palace on Venice’s Grand Canal. It’s all extremely bellissimo.
Liverpool - 1989/91 Home
As the 1980s gave way to the 90s, shirt designers collectively released the handbrake and started experimenting with bolder, more ambitious creations. That was the case with this adidas effort for Liverpool – while the cut and collar were largely the same as its predecessor from the season previous, a visual change came in the form of a white flecked pattern, which helped make John Barnes, Ian Rush and Barry Venison sparkle.
Jamaica - 1998 Home
Jamaica’s first and only World Cup appearance came in 1998 – and boy did they make their presence known with one of the great tournament jerseys, courtesy of Kappa. The template was also used for South Africa but this is, we reckon, the superior version. The vibrancy of the yellow is such that you really shouldn’t stare directly at it without wearing sunglasses.
Newcastle - 1996/97 Goalkeeper
A silhouette of the Newcastle skyline, including the Tyne Bridge? Yes please. Worn by Shaka Hislop and Pavel Srnicek, this remains one of the most iconic ‘keeper kits ever.
Fiorentina - 1998/99 Home
Admit it – you secretly loved that late 90s Fiorentina side. Or maybe it wasn’t a secret at all. Rui Costa, Edmundo, Gabby Batistuta… it was a side packed with proper legends who helped remind you why you fell in love with football in the first place. The tragedy was La Viola’s unquestionable quality didn’t win much. They looked bloody good though. Fila – a brand more closely associated with tennis gear or teenagers hanging around bus stops – delivered one of the iconic Serie A jerseys. The white bars down the arms, that Nintendo sponsor, Fiorentina’s beautiful club crest… glorious.
Germany - 1994 Home
We know what you’re thinking: you picked this over Germany’s World Cup ’90 jersey? Well yes, we did and we’re sticking with that decision even if we are having the occasional sleepless night worrying about it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder though and we say this is a great World Cup template that really popped with German black, red and yellow. Don’t @ us.
Lazio - 1991/93 Home
There are so many great Lazio shirts that is almost feels wrong to choose one but alas that’s the name of the game, so we have gone for this Umbro jersey, worn between 1991 and 1993. The two-tone blue recurring graphic is so damn 90s that we had to have it on the list. Plus it was donned by some serious talent – Paul Gascoigne (when fit), Giuseppe Signori and Karl-Heinz Riedle to name just three.
Tottenham - 1985/87 Home
The first Spurs shirt to really break boundaries, Hummel’s unique chevron design, complete with diagonal navy pinstripes across the chest, is a thing of beauty. Clive Allen smashed in 49 goals across all competitions in only one season wearing this. But the greatest player to ever pull it on was Diego Maradona, who famously turned out for Spurs in Ossie Ardiles’ testimonial in 1986.
USA - 1994 Away
“The players were simply aghast,” says Aaron Heifetz, then the USMNT’s assistant press officer as he describes the moment adidas presented the USA’s denim kit to the squad ahead of the 1994 World Cup. Widely derided and mocked at the time, the kit is now a grail piece for many – one of the most outrageous ever worn at a World Cup. Loud, brash and a little ridiculous — just like the country it represented.
France - 2019 women's away
Polka dots? On a football shirt? Why did it take until 2019 for anyone to give it a go? Cos jeeez, it looks good (and the socks look even better, by the way). The French women’s team stole the show at the 2019 World Cup – maybe not in a sporting sense but certainly when it came to the sartorial stakes.
Argentina - 1986 Home
This shirt is proof that sometimes simplicity is best. Made from an Airtex material to counter the heat of the Mexican summer, Le Coq Sportif delivered an elegant, understated jersey for Argentina, as they conquered all to win the 1986 World Cup. Unusually, the central stripe was white and not blue - a rarity for Argentina. This was the Albiceleste shirt that Diego looked best in.
Ipswich - 1984/86 Home
Based on the France 1984 shirt, this Ipswich kit came with some additional flair – most notably that plunging v-neck collar, over-sized trefoil, extra-thick red hoop and one of English football’s best club crests. Sadly for the Tractor Boys, this shirt coincided with their fall from grace. Town had been one of Europe’s best teams under the guidance of Bobby Robson but by now he had left for England and Ipswich were struggling, eventually relegated in May 1986. The kit though remains the club’s finest.
Northern Ireland - 1990 Away
The graphic on this shirt is like a magic eye poster – stare at it hard enough and you’ll see Jesus riding a unicorn. This was peak ‘90s Umbro and we are absolutely here for it. The only tragedy was that this was never worn at a major tournament, with Northern Ireland failing to qualify for Italia ’90. But genius isn’t dependent on achievement and this deserves its place on merit.
England - 1989/91 Third
You’ve got to hold and give, but do it at the right time… you’ve seen Bernard Sumner wearing this in the video for New Order’s World in Motion so you know why it has to make the cut. So cool was the diamond inspired, powder blue design that the shirt wouldn’t have looked out of place on the dancefloor of the Hacienda. The jersey was actually only worn once – in a Euro ’92 qualifier in Turkey – but its cultural impact is far greater thanks to Italia ’90 and the greatest World Cup song ever.
Arsenal - 1991/93 Away
Here’s a fun fact for you: the template used for this shirt was actually called ‘Italia’ and came in three colourways – red, blue and yellow. River Plate wore a pretty nice version of the shirt but it is Arsenal who will be forever linked to one of the most memorable designs the game has ever seen. Initially derided, the bruised banana quickly gained cult status. The shirt has extra significance because it was worn by Ian Wright when he scored his first ever Arsenal goal at Leicester in September 1991.
Manchester City - 1998 Away
‘It’s Dickov again… CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? From 2-0 down, Manchester City have drawn level!’ You remember the game and the goal – 30 May 1999, the Second Division play-off final. With 95 minutes on the clock and City trailing to Gillingham, Paul Dickov smashed in an equaliser (past Vince Bartram, the best man at his wedding) to send the game into extra time and eventually penalties. Spoiler alert: City win and the rest is history. The shirt they wore that day has become the stuff of legend – a classic 90s Kappa cut, with thick fluorescent yellow and black stripes, and that brother sponsor. Another shirt that is so good, it has been imitated in the years since. We should give a nod/commendation to City’s third shirt from that season, too – another jersey deserving of top 50 status.
Tokyo Verdy - 1993 Home
You didn’t think we were going to forget the J-League did you? The birth of Japan’s domestic division in 1992 spawned loads of absolutely insane kits from clubs like Shimizu S-Pulse, Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Kashima Antlers. But we think this is the greatest of the lot. Back then the club was actually called Verdy Kawasaki, switching to its current guise in 2001 following its return to Tokyo. The designers at Mizuno were clearly given carte blanche when it came to Verdy’s kits – and we are all the richer for it.
Cork City - 1990 Home
Yes, we know it’s the Germany template. But how good does it look with green and orange detailing? And what about that big old Guinness logo? We are getting near to perfection here. By the way, Cork were treated to some sensational shirts during their early-90s spell with adidas, a number of which could have made this list.
France - 2011 Away
When Nike won the contract to produce France’s kits back in 2011, they immediately set a very high bar with the release of a modern classic. The Breton-striped away shirt was inspired by the ‘marinière,’ a staple of French fashion and a symbol of Gallic heritage. It was a gamble from Nike to use a cultural stereotype but it absolutely paid off. You’ll notice that there are very few shirts from the first two decades of the 21st century on this list – a forgettable period of football kit conservatism. But this stands out like a beacon in the fog – truly a shirt for the ages.
AC Milan - 1999/00 Centenary Home
To mark the Rossoneri’s centenary season, adidas produced a special shirt for the 1999/2000 season featuring similar thin stripes to those used on the club’s first ever jersey. Milan - formed as Milan Football and Cricket Club by Englishman Herbert Kilpin in 1899 – only wore the centenary shirt in selected matches. These included three Champions League games, three Serie A fixtures and two Coppa Italia ties. It was also used once the following season – in May 2001 – to mark the 100th anniversary of Milan’s first Scudetto. Featuring the flag of Milan as the club crest, this quickly became a collector’s item – and it’s easy to see why.
Uruguay - 1992 Home
We had to have a shirt from the first ever World Cup winners – and we reckon this is their best ever. Produced for the first time by Italian brand Ennerre, the shirt features some gorgeous backgammon/chess board graphics down the right arm and shoulder. While the early 90s may have been a fairly fallow period for the national team, they can at least look back on a jersey that was anything but mediocre.
St Etienne - 1980/81 Home
There’s something special about green shirts and we can’t quite put our finger on what it is exactly. Think Palmeiras, Betis, Celtic, Panathinaikos… clubs who are consistently kitted out in great jerseys. St Etienne are no exception – and if you head back to the early 80s, you get the added bonus of a giant sponsor, something that came to define French club shirt design back then. Les Verts were some team in 1980/81 too - led by Michel Platini and Johnny Rep, they won Ligue 1 and reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup, where they were defeated by Ipswich Town.
Real Madrid - 1999/01 Third
‘It was one of those days when you go out and play, and everything just seems to click,’ recalls Steve McManaman of the 2000 Champions League final. The Scouser helped himself to a goal in a 3-0 win over Valencia in Paris. And the shirt he and his team-mates wore that night – jet black with orange trim – was just as sumptuous as Macca’s scissor-volley.
Brazil - 1998 Home
A strange choice in some ways – after all, this was the shirt in which Ronaldo toiled in the World Cup final having suffered a seizure just hours before kick-off. You remember the haunting image of the world’s best player, Nike Mecurials hanging round his neck, staring dejectedly into space in the Stade de Paris. But this was a great shirt in its own right – and what’s more, we know what came next: four years later, R9 would get his hands on the prize that had alluded him in France, scoring twice in the final as Brazil beat Germany in Yokohama.
Gremio - 1988 Home
No list of top shirts would be complete without representation from a) Gremio and b) Penalty. Gremio because, well, they always have great kits and Penalty because the sportswear manufacturer from Sao Paulo has been responsible for dozens of brilliant South American club jerseys since the company’s formation in 1970.
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Belgium - 1984 Home
When adidas won the contract to produce the Belgium shirt in 1984, they immediately delivered the nation’s most iconic kit of all time (and forever more). Quite who the hell thought that a white chest band with an argyle pattern running across it would work deserves a medal – it’s absurd, ridiculous and nothing short of genius. Worn during Euro ’84, the shirt was so good that it was the inspiration for the Belgium jersey at the 2018 World Cup.
Croatia - 1998 Home
Worn during their first ever appearance at a World Cup, this Lotto masterpiece provided the backdrop for Croatia’s epic run to the semi-final at France ‘98 (not bad for a country with a population of less than four million people). Lotto’s design saw the šahovnica flag pattern draped over the right shoulder. It was so good the same shirt was worn at Euro 2000 and during the World Cup 2002 qualifying campaign.
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Words by: Josh Warwick
Written for: These Football Times
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